All's Fair in Love and War.. Yeah Right
by Arsonist Phoenix
Summary: This is Jo's (My charecter in There you'll be) POV from before, during and after the war
1. Trust the Force, Air Force That is

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right.  
Chapter 1  
Trust the Force, Air Force That is.  
  
They're leaving me. my only friends, my brothers. I've known them my whole life and now they're leaving. I've been up here for hours. No one has come looking for me. Here comes Danny and there's Rafe going to him, he looks worried, now Danny does. Here they come. God, I need to find a new spot, this one's no longer a secret, actually it hasn't been a secret in fifteen years. What happens if when they leave that'll be the last time I ever see them? What if they crash? I started to cry. Josephine Heather McCawley! Do not let them see you cry! Here they come, if I don't move I can hear them.  
  
"Rafe, I assure you, she's up there. It's been the same for twenty years. She's up there," I heard Danny say.  
  
"Well, we were worried, I couldn't find her, thought she had run away or somethin'."  
  
"No, where would she go?"  
  
Rafe shrugged.  
  
"Jo? Jo, we're leaving now."  
  
I climbed down, seeing no point in hiding still. I hugged them both.  
  
"My God, Rafe we're as good as dead. She's cryin'," said Danny, hugging me again.  
  
Then they left me. I didn't know whether I'd ever see them again. I went back inside and did my chores, forgetting about breakfast and lunch. Before dinner, Ma came up to me.  
  
"Josephine, are you all right?"  
  
"Jo."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I go by Jo, I've told you that for the past twenty years."  
  
"And for the past twenty years I've been telling you, I'll call you what I please. Go wash up for dinner."  
  
I washed up for dinner but ate next to nothing. My mother noticed this and began her usual dinner lectures.  
  
"Josephine, eat something!"  
  
"I'm not hungry."  
  
"Don't play with your food. We'll never get you married off."  
  
"I don't understand you. You're treating me like I'm five! Ma, I'm twenty three!"  
  
"Then why are you still here?"  
  
"Because there won't be anyone to help out here. I need to go out, but I don't."  
  
"Oh, so now you're blaming your problems on us?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"Mother, dear Mother, I've always blamed at least one of my problems on you. The rest were Rafe's doin's."  
  
"On me? Not your father?"  
  
"Pa doesn't say enough to cause any problems."  
  
"So now you're saying that you're only staying here because of us?"  
  
"No, I said that five minutes ago."  
  
"Oh, Andy, we're keeping her from all her social engagements and friends."  
  
"God! You always do that!"  
  
I couldn't stand it! I got up from the table and went up to my room. I think Pa came up to talk to me, but he heard me crying and didn't come in.  
  
(Ten months later)  
  
There was a knock on the door after dinner, I was helping Ma clean up, so Pa went to get it. I heard some mumbling and then Pa.  
  
"Jo? Okay. Jo! Someone here to see you!"  
  
I hoped that it was Danny in one piece with good news. I got there and I saw skinny blonde haired green- eyed Bobby Jones. I had to make at least one friend while Rafe and Danny were gone, and he was that one.  
  
"Hey Jo!"  
  
"Hi Bobby."  
  
"How're you?"  
  
"Okay. What about you?"  
  
"I'm great! I got a-- does your Ma always stare like that?"  
  
I turned around.   
  
"Ma, go away."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Ma went upstairs, but kept coming down 'for water' which was a big lie.   
  
"What did you say you had, Bobby?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah. I've got a question for you. Follow me."  
  
I wondered where he had to go to ask me a question. I thought just to get away from my mother, boy was I wrong. I followed him to the swimming hole, the sun was setting, I thought it was really pretty, but I didn't pay much attention, I was looking at the sky, wanting to get in a plane and fly to Rafe and Danny so I could be with them. Bobby cleared his throat, and I looked over to my right, he wasn't there. God no, not this, please no! I looked down slowly. Damnit!   
  
"Jo, will you marry me? I don't have a ring, but I'm savin' up fer one."  
  
"Bobby, get up. I can't marry you. I can't leave my Ma and Pa and sayin' yes would break a vow I made."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Rafe and Danny gotta approve of you. And one more thing, Bobby, I don't love you. You're my friend, that's better than marryin' me. I tell you more stuff."  
  
"I don't get to sleep with you."  
  
My God he didn't just say that! I choked.  
  
"Bobby, I gotta go, I've still got chores to do."  
  
I left him there, when I was in the corn field, I ran home as fast as I could.  
  
(Two months later)  
  
"Josephine are you done with your chores?"  
  
"Not yet Ma. I still have to dust Mister Walker's crops then milk Madeline."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I walked out of the house and over to the Walker's barn and brought out the plane and got it in the air. When I'm up in the sky I forget about Ma pestering me, me being alone here, and Rafe being in the war in Europe. A while later, I'm done I land the plane and see a man waiting for me.  
  
"Hello, I'm Colonel Rabb, you're one of the best pilots I've ever seen. Would you be interested in joining the Army?"  
  
I coughed, dusting the crops always makes me sound deeper.  
  
"Great! What's your name by the way?" he asked, taking out some papers.  
  
"Jo, sir."  
  
He asked me a bunch of questions, then before he left he asked me one more question.  
  
"What is your full name?" he asked.  
  
"Josephine Heather McCawley, sir."  
  
I took off my goggles, and rubbed my eyes. Then I realized he hadn't known I was a girl.  
  
"Oh, you're a girl."  
  
"What do you mean by that, sir?"  
  
"Nothing, I'll ask Washington. We need all the help we can get, I'm sure you'll be able to get in. I might be able to get you in with the nurses, for bunking.'  
  
"Nurses, sir? I'd like to stay as close to the base as possible, sir. I don't mind being with the boys, sir. I practically lived with my brother and his best friend, sir."  
  
"I'll take you to Washington with me. Where do you live?"  
  
"Through the corn field, sir."  
  
"You're very disciplined. The Army likes that. I'll speak with your parents. Good night."  
  
He put his hat on and went back to his car, and went toward the house. I put the plane away, told Mr. Walker that I was done. Then he handed me something.   
  
"Happy Birthday. That man came in here and asked about you, so I figured that I should give it to you now."  
  
"Thank you Mister Walker."  
  
I smiled and ran home as fast as I could. I saw Ma arguing with Colonel Rabb, she was trying to keep anyone from taking me away from her. I watched them from the door..  
  
"Sir, we'll sleep on it. If she goes, she'll meet you at the station at ten forty five. If not, she won't be there," said Pa.  
  
I went around back to milk Madeline and then I came back around, Colonel Rabb had already left, and my parents were arguing.  
  
"Molly, if she wants to go, she should. This has been her life- long dream. Let her go. We can hire a boy to help us out and the Walkers," pleaded Pa.  
  
"No! I've lost one child to the air. I won't loose another!"  
  
"Molly-"  
  
"Don't Molly me."  
  
"She's an adult, let her make her own decisions."  
  
"As long as she's living here, she'll do as I say."  
  
"Molly. Let her do what she wants."  
  
"Andy, n-" Ma saw me, I took a step back. She sighed. "Fine, she can do what she wants."  
  
I smiled, brought the milk and ran into the sitting room, and hugged her.  
  
"Thank you Ma, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."  
  
She hugged me back. We went up stairs and packed a suitcase and Ma got out a dress suit for me to wear the next day, and for once, I didn't argue. The next day, I got up, and had everything done by eight thirty. I had the tan jacket and skirt on and a white shirt under the jacket, and Ma had my blonde hair in an elegant bun. I grabbed my bags and Pa took me to the train station. I looked around and found Colonel Rabb waiting on the platform, looking around for me.  
  
"Good morning, Colonel," I said, saluting.   
  
He saluted back.  
  
"At ease. I'm glad your mother changed he mind," he said, smiling.  
  
"Yes, sir, so am I, sir."  
  
We got on the train and talked. Then I remembered, my gift from Mister Walker. I got it from my bag and opened it. It was a photo. One of me, Rafe and Danny as kids. We were working on the Walker's plane, I was hanging upside down from the wing with a wrench. Danny was in front of the propeller with a screwdriver, and Rafe was in the plane with another wrench. All three of our faces were dirty. I laughed at the picture.   
  
"What is that?"   
  
"It's my birthday present from my friend's dad, Mister Walker. It's a picture of me Danny, and Rafe, my brother. We were fixin' Mister Walker's plane that day. He came in and took a photograph. I'd forgotten about this."  
  
Colonel Rabb looked at it.   
  
"So, where would you like to be stationed?"  
  
"Anywhere you put me sir."  
  
"Ready to follow orders, good."  
  
"Where do you think they'll but me sir?"  
  
"Pearl Harbor, most likely. We need more pilot there."  
  
"Okay, sir."  
  
When we finally got to Washington wee went directly to the White House. Colonel Rabb told me to wait outside the President's office, and I did, I waited for two hours. It would have been much easier if the President's secretary wasn't stating at me. Then again, the President's secretary wouldn't have been staring at me like that is he weren't a he. After an hour and a half he sat next to me.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hello," I replied.  
  
"My name is Jackson Smythe."  
  
"I'm Jo McCawley."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"I'm hoping to join the Army, Colonel Rabb said I'm one of the best pilot he's ever seen."  
  
He tried not to laugh, I helped him out by glaring at him. He swallowed what he found funny and began to talk about the weather. After a few minutes of that Colonel Rabb came out and got me.  
  
"Thank you for saving me," I whispered as I passed him.   
  
He laughed, and I spoke with the President. That evening we were on the train to California. We got there the evening before my birthday and then another man took a plane to Hawaii with and we spent the night in a hotel, next to the airport. The next day, that man took me to Pearl Harbor. The let me into the bunk and the men were doin various things, but I wasn't paying attention to them.  
  
"Men, this is your new roommate. Treat her well."  
  
Then the man left me standing there in a room full of men I didn't know. All but two drooling, one hadn't noticed me, and the other was mooning over a picture of his sweetheart. I looked at the picture Mr. Walker had given me, and I took a deep breath.  
  
"What on Earth are you doing? I expect you to treat me no differently than the man next to you. Got that?"  
  
The man who hadn't noticed me got up to leave, I didn't bother to look at him, that would have made me nervous. The he grabbed me by the arms, and jerked me in front of him. For a split second I almost kicked him, then he spoke.  
  
"Jo?"  
  
"Danny?"  
  
"Jo!"  
  
"Danny!"  
  
Then he hugged me tightly.  
  
"Y'all this is my little sister," said Danny.  
  
"You told us you were an only child," said the one with a greasy wrench in his hand.  
  
"I am, Gooz, I am. This is actually McCawley's little baby sis. We were all close and she was like my sister. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I joined the Army, as a pilot. Just like I've always wanted," I said, proudly.  
  
"And the government, not to mention your Ma, let you?"  
  
"Yup. I met the President himself! And I had to beg Ma, when Colonel Rabb left after asking them. And I didn't go lookin' to be in the Army, neither. I was dustin' your Pa's crops when he came lookin' for me! I was so shocked, and so was he when he found out I was a girl. But he took me to Washington, and I've worn the same damn skirt for a week! I hate skirts. Will y'all excuse me so I can change real quick? Oh Danny, guess what today is."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What day did I get stuff from Rafe, but never you. Jeez, I even got somethin' from your Pa."  
  
"What-- Oh! Happy Birthday! What did my Pa get you?"  
  
I handed him the photo. He smiled and hugged me again. I went in to change clothes and when I came back out the men were all crowded around Danny.  
  
"Hey, Danny! Does she have a beau?" asked the one called Goose.  
  
"No, I don't. And you know you could ask me these questions, you don't have to tackle Danny for the answers," I said laughing.  
  
The men turned around, embarrassed.   
  
"W- w- w- wow. You- you- you're q- q- q - quick," said the redhead.  
  
"Chill out Red, she won't bite," said Danny.  
  
"G- g- g- good to know."  
  
I laughed even harder  
  
"Hey Jo, we're going out to-" started Danny, but someone knocked on the door.  
  
Red answered it, as I got my hair out of my face.  
  
"D- D- D- Danny, it's for you."  
  
Danny took it and the color instantly drained from his face. I noticed this and got worried.  
  
"What? Danny is it your Pa? What?"  
  
He handed her the yellow telegram. I took it, somehow feeling what was coming. I read it as Danny put on his jacket and hat.  
  
"Rafe McCawley is dead. STOP Crashed when shot down by Nazi plane. STOP--My God. No, no, not Rafe, he never did anything to deserve this," I said, trying not to cry, as I fell to my knees.  
  
Danny fell to his knees in front of me, trying to comfort me.  
  
"Jo, Jo listen to me. It's okay. Don't do anything stupid, in other words, something I wouldn't want you to do. I'll be right back."  
  
He stood up and left, leaving me alone. After he left, the men took me out. We went to a bar and I got a little drunk, I can't remember anything else. When he got back he caught my eye.  
  
"Go to sleep," he instructed me.  
  
"Where'd you go?" I wondered.  
  
"Rafe's girlfriend is also stationed here. I went and told her."  
  
"He told me a lot about her."  
  
"I know, I wrote it for him."  
  
I laughed, it was an empty laugh.  
  
"I don't know why, but I'm expecting him to come back, trying to get you to help him on another of his crazy antics," I said.  
  
"I know, so do I."  
  
"Bobby Jones proposed to me. I accepted."  
  
I said this with ann absolute straight face. Danny choked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Actually, I'm joking. I did the same thing. I told him that I had to take care of my parents, you and Rafe had to approve of him then I told him that I didn't love him, that we were friend. I told him that way I'd tell him more stuff. but he said that us being only friends he couldn't sleep with me and I left. Ma and Pa don't know about it. Ma would have yelled at me."  
  
Danny laughed.  
  
"I'm glad you said no."  
  
The next morning I got up because I felt sick. I went into the bathroom and then came out to see Danny looking worried.  
  
"What?" I asked  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
I sat down on my bed, not seeing all the other men watching us. I got my glass of water and took a long drink from it.  
  
"Are you pregnant?"  
  
I spit out my water all over his face. The men laughed, but Danny just sat there, eyes closed, and face wrinkled up. I took a towel and dried his face.  
  
"No, and I'm sorry. We went out last night. I can't remember anything else though."  
  
"Oh, okay. It's better that you were drunk."  
  
I got dressed and then waited outside for the guys to get dressed. Several officers walked by, staring at me. One came up to me and started asking me questions.  
  
"Are you waiting for your boyfriend, soldier?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Then what are you doing here?"  
  
"Waiting for the men in here to get dressed so I can finish getting ready sir."  
  
"What do you have to do to finish?"  
  
"Put my hair out of my face so I can work properly.  
  
"Aren't you going to brush it?"  
  
"Do I have to sir? Is it a requirement sir?"  
  
Danny opened the door behind me.  
  
"Jo you can come back in. Sir."  
  
"You are excused."  
  
I went under Danny's arm, he was leaning against the door frame. I knew that officer meant Danny, but I made it look like I thought he was talking to me. Danny came back in, his face red.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"When you left, he said you were clever, and that he had to find a way to get you alone in his room. Stay away from him."  
  
"Trust me, I will."  
  
"You know, Danny. If you get her drunk she'll do anything you want her to," said Gooz.  
  
"Gooz, shut up!"  
  
"We didn't make her do anything, Danny. When we told her it was time to leave and to get in the car, she said 'Whatever you say.' And that was it," said Red, honestly.  
  
"You guys! You're not supposed to tell him that! Or my Ma, Pa, or Rafe! No one but us is supposed to know that!" I said.  
  
Danny and I didn't talk much for a long time and three months later Danny stayed out late. One night I got real worried, I had become paranoid. I was pacing around the room.  
  
"Ya know, Jo, if you keep doin' that, you'll wear a hole in the floor," said Goose.  
  
"That's not funny. I'm worried about Danny, he's actin' real strange. Y'all know it, too. He's never acted like this. And he was actin' really, really odd when Rafe's girlfriend came in today. I haven't seen him since then."  
  
Right when I said that, Danny walked in and I ran into him.  
  
"What are you still doing up?" he asked, innocently.  
  
"Don't play stupid, Daniel Walker, you know very well why I'm still up," I said, seriously.  
  
"No, Mother, I don't."  
  
"Don't play that with me. I didn't like it when we were kids, I don't like it now. Now, please tell me the truth, where were you?"  
  
"Out. Do I have to tell you where I go all the time?"  
  
"No, but it would be nice if you told us you were takin' a plane out with Rafe's old girlfriend."  
  
"Her name is Evelyn."  
  
"Do I look like I care? I was worried, anythin' could have happened to you. You know I'm paranoid, ever since Rafe died. You know that! I couldn't bear to loose my other brother. I'm sorry if I'm a pain in the butt! If you really feel that way, I'll ignore you, do you want me to? Because I will!"  
  
"Jo, calm down. I'm sorry. I don't want you to ignore me, and you're not a pain it the butt."  
  
He kissed me on the forehead and I went to bed, The next day, I decided to meet this Evelyn. When I walked in a bunch of women giggled.  
  
"New recruits!" they all said together, all except one with dark hair, and pale skin.  
  
"No, actually I've been here for about three months. I'm not a nurse, I'm a pilot. I'm lookin'-"  
  
"A woman pilot? That's the biggest lie I've ever heard," said one with brown, curly hair and glasses.  
  
"Here's my dog tags. I'm lookin' for Evelyn. I'm Jo McCawley."  
  
"As in Rafe McCawley?" asked the pale one with dark hair.  
  
"He was my brother, my best friend. Are you the newest addition to his fan club?"  
  
"No, I'm Evelyn."  
  
"Oh, well, I just wanted to say, not to keep my brother out too late or break his heart. Just a warning."  
  
I turned to leave, they were becoming annoying.  
  
"Your brother's dead."  
  
I sighed and turned back around.  
  
"No, my other brother. Danny Walker, he was my brother's best friend, mine too. He's like my brother, I call him my brother. Good day. Oh, and by the way. Which ever one of you is Betty. Red talks about you a whole lot. You're all he ever talks about. Don't tell him I told ya, though, he's kill me."  
  
A young blonde blushed, and smiled. I left. A month later, Danny got a telegram, this time on white paper, so we knew it wasn't a death, but he left after reading it. I picked it up and read it, though somewhat slowly, as I have the same type of problem with letters as Rafe, although mine's not as bad. But I pocketed the letter when I was done and I ran to the hospital. When I finally made it there, I saw Rafe. He was looking from Danny to Evelyn, he hadn't seen me yet. I looked different. My hair was almost white, my skin was much darker, I had a lot of freckles, and my eyes no longer sparkled with joy. It had gone out that day Rafe and Danny had left me, the sparkle never to return.  
  
"You two stay away," said Rafe to Danny and Evelyn, not seeing Jo.  
  
"Rafe?" I said, hoping he'd hear me.  
  
He did. He turned around. I ran up, jumped and hugged him, now he was holding me off of the ground. I was hugging him with both my arms and legs.  
  
"Wings? What are you doing here? You didn't do anything against me too did you?"  
  
"What? No! I'm here as a pilot, as I always wanted. I'll tell you about it."  
  
"Tell me over a drink, I'm buying."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We went down to the bar on the beach and Rafe and I got drunk. All I remember is trying to break up a fight between Rafe and Danny. The owner called the MP and we ran to Danny's car and I fell asleep in the back seat with Rafe. When we woke up we looked toward the Harbor. I pushed Danny out of the way and I drove to the Harbor. We called the smaller airfield nearby, because we could never get off the ground here. This time Rafe drove, I sat in the back with the camera guy, who kept falling on me trying to 'film' the Japs behind us. When we got there Red and Gooz and there rest of them were there. Rafe, Danny and another guy got in the three planes that were ready and I grabbed some ammo from the ammo closet and loaded up another one. The guys all had guns and I got in the plane and took off behind Rafe and Danny. We three got up, that other man was shot down before he even got up, that made me kind of nervous, but I followed Rafe and Danny's lead. I got behind this Jap and I shot him down. And another one pulled out in front of me, I don't think he saw me, I didn't know, there was another one behind me, the one in front of me slowed down and the one behind me speed up. I shot at the one in front of me and got out of there. The other one kept close behind me.   
  
"Wings, you okay?" asked Rafe.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's show these Japs who they're messing with!"   
  
Danny shot down three, and Rafe four.  
  
"Jo, look out behind you!" shouted Danny.  
  
"I see 'im. Damnit, he's shooting at me. Rafe I'm gonna fly by the tower, get them to distract him for about two seconds until I get behind him. Damn he hit my wing, I gotta do this quick."  
  
"Josephine Heather McCawley, watch your language!" said Rafe.  
  
"Shut up, Rafe. I can't stay up much longer!"  
  
I flew by the tower, and they shot a few bullets at him, I got behind him and I pulled the trigger. He went down.  
  
"Jo! Land! Land! Now!" Danny yelled at me.  
  
"I am!"  
  
I landed. We went to the hospital, it was there I decided I didn't like Evelyn. I'd think of a reason later. I guessed it was the way she looked at both Rafe and Danny.   
  



	2. Off to See the What Wizard? We’re Seein’...

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right  
Chapter 2  
Off to See the-- What Wizard? We're Seein' the Japs in China!  
  
A few days later, we were in Doolittle's office, Rafe and Danny were nervous, but I didn't show any fear. He came in and scolded us a bit, promoted us to Captain, and gave us the decision to go on a secret mission. The idea of a secret mission intrigued me. Later Rafe decided that he didn't want Danny or me to go.  
  
"Jo, but what if something happens to me? Ma and pa still have you, the Walker's only have Danny, and you two need each other."  
  
"Rafe. I'm goin', and you can't stop me. I want to be with you and Danny, you left me behind once, you won't do it again."  
  
Rafe had been practically on his knees pleading for me and Danny to stay. I had all ready made up my mind to go. One evening, I was walking along the beach and Danny caught up to me.  
  
"Jo, has Rafe talked to you yet?"  
  
"Yes. And he's obviously all ready convinced you or else you wouldn't be coming to me."  
  
"That's not true. I was wondering what you're gonna do."  
  
"It's up to you, but it wouldn't be the same without you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're not asking what I'm doing, you all ready know. You're asking me what you should do. It's up to you, but it wouldn't be the same without you."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Then he left. After a while, I went back to get some sleep. I found Danny lying on his bed, and Rafe sitting on my bed. Just to trick him, I put a photo of me and Bobby at the fair under my pillow, but I made sure it was sticking out a bit for Rafe. He was looking at a photo, but it wasn't the one of me and Bobby, that one was next to him.  
  
"Who gave you this?"  
  
"What?"  
  
He handed me the photograph Mr. Walker had given me.  
  
"Mister Walker gave that to me for my last birthday."  
  
"And what's with you and Bobby Jones?"  
  
I smiled and blushed, well I turned away to make it look like I was blushing. Danny laughed.  
  
"She hasn't told you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She broke our vow."  
  
The rest of the men gathered around, they wouldn't miss this.   
  
"What vow?"  
  
"Well, I'll explain. You remember I wrote that he called on me, it was right before you went to England. Well, he took me to the swimmin' hole at sunset. It was so romantic--"  
  
"What did he do?"  
  
I had to sound dramatic.  
  
"Oh Rafe! I'm sorry I just couldn't help it. I mean he asked me and I did!"  
  
"My God! You didn't have any children from it, did you?"  
  
"Not yet, he asked me THE question."  
  
"Oh God you're marrying Bobby Jones?"  
  
"Hell no. I told him that I had to take care of Ma and Pa and that I couldn't break our vow of approval before marriage, and then I told him that he was only my friend, and that if we stayed that way, I'd tell him more things than if we were married."  
  
"What he say?"  
  
"He said that then he couldn't--"  
  
I broke off, I was laughing too hard. I had been sitting on the bed, next to Rafe, then I fell off. I fell off the bed! I was laughing so hard. The men burst out laughing. But me, I just laid on the laughed.   
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said if he was only my friend he couldn't--" I broke off in another fit of laughter, my voice rose and I ended up shouting the last part. "He couldn't sleep with me! Then I left him standin' there!"  
  
"I'm so relived that you said no. I don't want to be related to him."  
  
"Captain McCawley! If you're not marrying a farm boy from back home, then all of us are wondering who you are thinking about marrying," said Doolittle standing next to my head.  
  
"What's the pool up to?"  
  
"Six hundred," said Gooz.  
  
"I'm not thinkin' about marrying anyone yet. But when I do, I'll let you know."  
  
"I was right! Pay up!" yelled Gooz.  
  
I laughed and stood up. No one had his money so they all gave him war bonds. The next day we were to begin training. The entire time Gooz and Rafe kept teasing me.  
  
"Hello, blondie!" Gooz would yell.  
  
"If you want a blonde, go home!"  
  
"You're a blonde," said Rafe.  
  
"Only in my hair color."  
  
Then I'd walk away. On the way to China one night at dinner, Gooz stood up on the table.  
  
"Jo! Will you make me the luckiest man in the world?"  
  
"I'm not sleeping with you Gooz."  
  
Rafe picked me up and put me on the table next to Gooz.  
  
"Then marry me!"  
  
"Not on your life."  
  
The men 'oo'ed.  
  
"She sure told you Gooz!" said Red.  
  
"She won't say she'll marry me, so she can say yes in private!"  
  
I had jumped down, but he jumped down behind me and grabbed me around the waist.  
  
"Gooz, let go of me."  
  
"Not until you go into the room with me."  
  
"I'll kick your butt if you don't let go of me."  
  
I was growing impatient and no Danny to save me. He always leaves right when he finishes.  
  
"Yeah right, you won't do anything to me."  
  
"I know you're joking Gooz, so I'll go easy on you."  
  
I slapped his hands which had started to go south of my waist, then I grabbed his shirt and flipped him over my head. Everyone clapped.  
  
"What a woman!"   
  
"I told you to stop, will you listen to me from now on?"  
  
"Are you sure you're name isn't Diana Prince AKA Wonder Woman?" asked Red.  
  
"You never know."  
  
Then I left them all staring at me as I went to find Danny, the only one who respected me. I found him looking at the ocean. I went and stood next to him.  
  
"What's going on in there?" he asked.  
  
"Gooz is making a fool out of himself. And you're never there to save me from it."  
  
"You?"  
  
"Yeah, Gooz is asking me to marry him or sleep with him, he doesn't care which. Tonight I kicked his butt. His hands were moving a little lower than my waist, I slapped his hands and flipped him over my shoulder. Now they all think I'm the real Wonder Woman."  
  
He laughed, I loved to make him laugh. I loved his laugh, I loved his eyes when he laughed, I loved-- him.  
  
"Sorry I wasn't in there to save you."  
  
"It's okay, I was joking about that. I can obviously take care of myself."  
  
"Joking about needing me, or joking about Gooz?"  
  
"About needing you for that. I still need you so I can make someone laugh, and to cheer me up when I'm upset. Isn't the sunset beautiful?"  
  
"Yes, why do you think I come out here?"   
"I don't know."  
  
"It's starting to get cold, let's go inside."  
  
"Okay, as long as you don't leave me anywhere with Gooz and Rafe."  
  
He laughed again.  
  
"Okay."  
  
We went to our room and Gooz and Rafe were getting undressed, all they had on were their underwear. They both quickly grabbed something to hide themselves. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Jo! Get out! We're trying to get dressed!" said Rafe.  
  
"Maybe she wants to see me naked," said Gooz.  
  
I made a gagging noise.  
  
"Please you two don't have anything worth seein'."  
  
Danny laughed, so did Doolittle.  
  
"I was coming to see if McCawley had killed anyone yet, looks like all's right," he said leaving.  
  
"Hey Wonder Woman!" said Red poking his head in.  
  
"What Red?"  
  
"I've bet ten bucks that Gooz doesn't survive messing with you."  
  
"Well, I'm not going to kill him. I want to see my parents again. Sorry Red."  
  
We heard whooping from down the hall. I laughed and took off my jacket, put my pajamas on and got in bed. The next day, we 'decorated' the missiles for the Japs. I couldn't think of anything to say, that someone else hadn't already put, so I improvised. I sat in some paint, then on a missile then wrote 'Kiss this Japs!'. That made the men laugh.  
  
"Jo! That's funny!" Gooz said, looking at it.  
  
"I don't. I don't like it, Jo," said Rafe.  
  
"Guess what?" I said to him.  
  
"What?" he sighed.  
  
"I don't care! I like it and that's all that matters."  
  
Danny raised his eyebrows at me and laughed. He hugged me from behind, then pinched my cheek.  
  
"Wook at ow wittwe webel," he said in a baby voice.  
  
"What?" Rafe, Gooz Red and I said at the same time.  
  
"I said: Look at our little rebel."  
  
"Ooooooooooooh."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Jo?" called Gooz.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Will you marry me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Will you sleep with me?"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you Hell No!"  
  
Everyone but Gooz laughed. A few mornings later Danny woke me up. I got dressed and followed him to the side of the carrier.  
  
"What's up?" I wondered, sitting next to him  
  
"I need to talk to you," he said.  
  
"Okay, go ahead."  
  
"I don't love Evelyn."  
  
"Good. I don't like her."  
  
Danny laughed.  
  
"Close your eyes. I'm goin' to give you somethin' and I want you to keep it."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I closed her eyes, hoping Rafe and Gooz wouldn't come up from behind me and pretend like they were going to push me in, or do something else to me. He put something small in my hand.  
  
"Okay, open them. That's for substituting you with Evelyn."  
  
I opened my eyes and looked at the ring, it glittered in the rising sun light.  
  
"Danny- I- does this- I mean- wow. Does this mean you never loved her, you just thought you did?"  
  
"Yes, it means that I loved you, but went with her instead."  
  
He kissed me on my cheek. I was so happy. The horn sounded for everyone to wake up. I slipped the ring on my finger and Danny and I went to breakfast.  
  
"Where were you two?" asked Rafe.  
  
"We went for a walk, Danny needed my advice on something," I answered.  
  
Danny and I silently agreed not to tell Rafe just yet. After breakfast was done, I found myself climbing into a plane sitting behind Rafe's seat, on our way to China. And for some reason, I felt as if I'd done something horrible and was about to be punished for it. Maybe I wasn't destined to go, but my strong will, or maybe Rafe or Danny was supposed to stay with Evelyn, she IS about to have a baby in about seven months. That didn't mean that I liked her. I still hated her. I didn't know but I felt as though something was about to happen. We finally reached Japan and they were all screaming and tossing the missiles down, I threw down the ones we had, next to me, but I wasn't screaming. Everything was going so fast. Then we were just on the coast of China, and Rafe moved me up to his spot, I couldn't understand him, but I knew what I had to do. I told the others, that were left, not to fire until I give the signal., and that we must do it together. I landed us, putting my worry to the back of my mind and focusing on what my signal would be. We turned to see Danny coming up, then he started to shoot, we hadn't seen the Japs behind us. Then he crashed. My punishment was about to start. I ran as fast as I could over to their crashed plane. Rafe was right behind me. From that moment on it was all slow motion. Rafe and I searched for Danny or his body, at with that thought I became really worried, we couldn't find him. Well, I wanted a thought to put Danny out of my mind, well, who says wishes don't come true? Here come the Japs, I thought of a signal/ diversion. I'm a woman, they're men, this'll be easy, a lot like how I'm acting. Japs held us all at gun point. There was a scream and gunfire. My heart dropped. About five Japanese men crowded around me, all pointing their guns at me. Good, here come the rest of them. I began my signal. I reached to my back, they were about to shoot when I talked to them in Japanese.  
  
"You know, if you don't kill them, or me, you don't have to pay me."  
  
I smiled as sweetly as I could, and pulled my bra out of my sleeve. Rafe looked absolutely horrified, as I am his sister.  
  
"Not yet," I said, in English, unzipping my jacket, revealing my guns. Then in Japanese I said "Drop your guns or you will die, we have you surrounded.  
  
Japs dropped their guns, except one, who shot at Rafe, but missed, and I killed him. Then there was shouting, but it wasn't in Japanese, it was the Chinese. Then I ran into the plane to get re- dressed. When I came out the men were all staring at me.  
  
"Who taught you that?" asked Rafe.  
  
"I learned it by myself, thank you very much. I had to find some way to do it without you or Danny seeing, as I knew you two sat outside my window, trying to scare me."  
  
"I said, 'You know, if you don't kill them, or me, you don't have to pay me.' Ma didn't teach me that, she would have killed me, so no one's allowed to tell my mother what I just told y'all."  
  
Then I blacked out. The next day I woke up in a Chinese hotel, or base or something, I couldn't tell which. Then I remembered what had happened, and what I had said to Danny, 'It wouldn't be the same without you.' That statement would haunt me to my grave, it's my fault Danny's dead, I practically pulled the trigger, it's my fault. I couldn't help it, I began to cry. Well, just my luck in walks Rafe, Gooz, Red, and Doolittle. I had to quickly try to wipe my face, but too late, they saw me. Rafe sits on my bed, hugs me, and rocks back and forth.  
  
"I- i -i -it's m-m-my fault," I cried.  
  
Rafe pushed my back, and looked at me.  
  
"What's your fault?"  
  
"Danny--"  
  
I began to cry harder.  
  
"How was that your fault? We couldn't find him after we crashed. Jo you had nothing to do with it," said Gooz.  
  
"Y- Y- Yes I did. He asked me whether he should come or not, and I guilted him into it. I told him it wouldn't be the same without him."  
  
I was now crying uncontrollably.   
  
"Jo, I'm goin' to get the nurse," said Rafe, standing and leaving me there.  
  
Red and Gooz looked at me.  
  
"Jo, you didn't cry this hard when we thought Rafe was dead," Red said softly.  
  
Gooz, and Red sat on the end of my bed.  
  
"Well, Rafe didn't propose to me the morning before he died, now did he?"  
  
"What? Does Rafe know?" asked Gooz, his eyes wide.  
  
"No, I can't bring myself to tell him. He'll figure it out, he's not stupid. Don't tell him, please."  
  
"Okay, Jo, we won't."  
  
The Rafe and a nurse came in she had a shot with her. My eyes grew wide.  
  
"What is she doin' with that thing? She better be doin' a trick, 'cause that thing ain't gettin' anywhere near me."  
  
She came over to me and stuck it in my arm, then I passed out. When I awoke I was on a plane, and in my Military attire. I had on my usual uniform, and I was sitting next to Rafe who had obviously been crying. At the moment he was sleeping.  
  
"I'm proud of you Captain, but tell me, what did you say to them to not shoot you?" asked Doolittle, on the plane home.  
  
"I said, 'You know, if you don't kill them, or me, you don't have to pay me.' Ma didn't teach me that, she would have killed me, so no one's allowed to tell my mother what I just told y'all," said Jo.  
  
They all nodded, and I took off my jacket, it was hot in the plane. Soon, the plane landed, and I was the first one off. I noticed Evelyn and she walked up to me.  
  
"I know that you know I'm pregnant, and I've decided that I'm marrying Danny because of it. Okay? No hard feelings?" she said  
  
"Evelyn- I don't know- I'm sorry-"  
  
I tried to tell her, but I couldn't I just started to cry again. Rafe hugged Evelyn.  
  
"Evelyn, Danny didn't survive. We searched every where for him or his body," said Rafe.  
  
How was I going to tell them? What was I going to say?  
  
"Jo! Here, you left your jacket on the plane," said Red, running over and handing it to me.  
  
"Thank you, Red," I said, reaching out to get it, forgetting about the ring.  
  
Rafe noticed it on my hand.  
  
"Jo, what's that?" he asked.  
  
"What's what?"  
  
"On your hand. Danny told me that was for Evelyn."  
  
I looked at my hand.  
  
"He told me he realized he was substituting me with Evelyn and that he thought of me often when he was with her. And he said that he was happy, because now he knew that you two would be happy, and so would he. That's the only thing he ever wanted was for you two to be happy." I felt as though I would cry again. "Please, excuse me."  
  
I walked over to a bench and sat down to cry.  
  
"Jo!"  
  
I looked up. Great, just my luck, here's Ma and Pa with the Walkers.  
  
"Oh, Lord. What's wrong is it Rafe? Is he okay?" asked Pa.  
  
"I'm fine, Pa," said Rafe.  
  
"Josephine McCawley, what is on your hand?" asked Ma.  
  
I cried even harder.  
  
"Sore subject, Ma. Danny gave her that. We couldn't find him after we landed in China. Ma, Pa, Mr. Walker, Mrs. Walker, I'd like y'all to meet Evelyn," said Rafe, changing the subject.  
  
They were all introduced and Doolittle walked over.  
  
"Captains McCawley?" he said.  
  
I stood up and saluted him.  
  
"At ease. The President would like to speak with you."  
  
President Roosevelt came up to us.  
  
"Why hello, Miss McCawley. How are you? It's been a while, I'm glad to see your brother is all right, and where is Captain Walker?" I had to bite my lip just to keep from crying again. "Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you two have been promoted to General. This'll get quite confusing if you two keep moving up in positions together."  
  
By now Mrs. Walker, Ma, and Evelyn were crying and I was trying not to. A few weeks later, I was called into Doolittle's office, with Rafe, Gooz and Red, we sat outside his office and waited, wondering what we did this time.  
  



	3. Bombs Away!

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right  
Chapter 3  
Bombs Away!  
  
We sat outside his office for a while and Rafe got up and began pacing.  
  
"What did you do to get all four of us here?" I asked.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah, you look the most nervous."  
  
Gooz and Red laughed, hollowly.  
  
Doolittle came out, and motioned for us to come in. We followed him in and stood there, waiting. Nothing was said.  
  
"Nothing to say?" he asked us.  
  
"Good morning?" I suggested.  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Good enough. We have entered the war, and I've been asked to pick my best men--" I looked at him. "and women to go in and fight in the war, you mostly have to bomb Germany as much as possible and to get some supplies to them every now and then. You will each be issued a plane, weapons and ammunition, if you get shot down. Now, if one of you does get shot down, you are to save yourself, this isn't a time for heroes. Understood?" We all nodded. "Good. You will leave for England at seven hundred hours in three days. Have a nice day."  
  
We saluted and left. Rafe and I went home to pack and say goodbye to Ma, Pa and the Walkers.  
  
"Josephine! Rafe!"  
  
Ma came running out of the house, and gave us both hugs.  
  
"Hi Ma," I said.  
  
She looked at us.  
  
"What's wrong."  
  
"We're going into the war."  
  
"Not on the ground?"  
  
"No ma'am."  
  
"We're in a more dangerous place than that. We're in the sky," said Rafe.  
  
Ma put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Josephine, Rafe, you're not going," she said.  
  
"Ma, we have to. Doolittle says we're the best, we're the best. We have to," I pleaded.  
  
She sighed and went back into house. I helped her with dinner and Bobby Jones came over.  
  
"Jo, I'm bein' drafted. Where have you been?"  
  
"I guess I'll see you in Europe. Where will you be?"  
  
"Ground. You'll be a nurse."  
  
"Nope, I'll be in the sky. I've been at Pearl, then last month I was part of the Doolittle Raid. Just got back. Rafe's here too."  
  
"What about Walker?"  
  
"He didn't make it. We were captured by the Japs in China, we got out of it though. I was devastated, and it took them all three days to figure out why. Except for Doolittle himself and two of our friends--"  
  
A taxi pulled up, I was confused.  
  
"Jo? Are you okay?"  
  
Gooz and Red stepped out of the taxi. I ran up to them.  
  
"Jo!" said Gooz, picking me up and swinging me around.   
  
The I hugged Red.  
  
"Jo?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Who's that?" asked Gooz. "Trying to make me jealous are you? It's not going to work."  
  
"Gooz, Red, this is Bobby. Bobby this is Gooz and Red."  
  
"Jealous? Are you two getting married?" said Bobby.  
  
"No/ Yes," Gooz and I said at the same time.  
  
Bobby looked confused.  
  
"No, he only thinks we are. I don't love him. My love died."  
  
"Does that mean you're still available?" asked Bobby hopefully.  
  
"No, it doesn't Bobby, and I'm not going to marry you. You have no chance with me."  
  
"Can we still be friends?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Then he left.  
  
"Who was that?" asked Red.  
  
"Bobby Jones, you remember I told Rafe that he took me to the swimmin' hole and proposed to me? That's him."  
  
Red and Gooz laughed and I led them inside.  
  
"Jo? Is that you? Is Bobby Jones gone?"  
  
"Yes Rafe, he disappeared and reappeared into welcome guests."  
  
"Huh?"   
  
Rafe walked in and saw them. We introduced them to Ma and Pa and Ma insisted they stay with us until we had to leave, as neither of them had family. Two days later we took the train to DC, Ma was crying and Pa as trying to make her be quiet. I assured her we'd be all right, and we left. I fell asleep on the way there as I couldn't sleep because I shared my room with Rafe, actually, Ma and Pa wouldn't let him sleep on the floor and there's only one bed in my room Rafe had bunk beds, so Red and Gooz slept in there, and Rafe and I slept in my bed. He kicks too much, so that's why I couldn't sleep. When we got there, Rafe woke me up and we reported to Doolittle and we all stayed in Gooz's apartment about three blocks from Doolittle's office building. This time Rafe slept on the floor, I had the extra room (Gooz had locked me in there, because I said Rafe or Red should have it) and Red had the couch. Rafe came in and woke me up the next day. He came in and began to blow in my ear. I opened my eyes to see him lying next to me.  
  
"Does this mean I can come out now?" I asked.  
  
Rafe smiled and nodded, I went out there in my pajamas and Gooz grabbed the take out from the night before and began to eat it. I wrinkled my nose and took it from him.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"That's disgusting! Do you have eggs or something?"   
"Yeah, in the refrigerator."  
  
I got out eggs, and some bacon and made that. I handed out and we ate all of it.  
  
"Yum! You are a very good cook!" commented Red.  
  
"Thank you."   
"You're the best!" said Gooz, kissing me on the cheek.  
  
"I learned from the best and I'll teach you after the war."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We got our things, and I got dressed, and went off to war. Doolittle greeted us and we went off to Europe. When we got there we saw a few guys we knew, but had no time to say hello. An Irish man came up to the four of us and laughed.  
  
"McCawley, you're the best along with them, I doubt they're even in your league. What is a woman doing here?"  
  
I was about to walk over to him and kick his butt, but Rafe grabbed me by the collar of my jacket.  
  
"Don't mess with her like that, she'll kill you, and we are all in the same 'league' Finnigan. This is my sister, Gooz is next to her and Red's on the end."  
  
"Let me go, Rafe."  
  
He let me go. And I glared at the man.  
  
"Tell us what we're supposed to do, or find the one who's supposed to tell us, or I'll eat you for my dinner," I said, I didn't like him.  
  
"You're a cannibal?" he asked me.  
  
"Only if you make her mad, and you're almost there," said Gooz.  
  
The man walked away, running into people to get away from me. When he was out of sight I smiled.  
  
"You're ruthless," said Rafe.  
  
"I know."  
  
Red and Gooz laughed as the British Admiral came up to us, we saluted and he gave us out assignment.  
  
"You are to bomb any German holdings in Chechloslovakia, France, Poland, Austria, or Germany. We have no specific orders, other than report to any Allied camp. We have a large group waiting to go. Get in your planes and good luck."  
  
Then he left.  
  
"That was odd," I said, walking to a plane.  
  
"I know," said Rafe.  
  
"Allons- y!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"She said 'Let's go' in French," said Red.  
  
"Tres Bien," I said.  
  
He smiled and blushed. I laughed.  
  
"What's up with you?" asked Gooz.  
  
"It's not everyday a man hears 'Very Good' from Wonder Woman over there," said Red.   
  
The men laughed, as did I. We got into our planes and took off, and went in search of German bases.  
  
"Wings you okay?" asked Rafe.  
  
I looked over at him making faces at me.  
  
"I'm fine, big brother. Oh and grow up."  
  
The men laughed.  
  
"Y'all ignore her, she's just excited," said Red.  
  
"Aw Red you're no fun-- wait, what's that?" I said.  
  
It was some Germans talking.  
  
"Can anyone here speak German?" asked one of the British men.  
  
"Wonder Woman Jo McCawley can," said Gooz   
  
"They're saying something about someone's wife. Oh my God, one of them is asking how good their wife is in bed, I hope it's not a code, because if it is, it's a perverted one."  
  
They all laughed.  
  
"So it has nothing to do with us. Good," said another British man.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Eventually we got to Poland, after some bombings of German bases in France. When we got over a German base, and began to bomb it, they began to shoot at us. We did this for a year, before any of us got shot down. Three guys ahead of me were shot down, and my right wing was hit.  
  
"Rafe, Gooz, Red! I'm goin' down. Do not come after me! I'll be fine. Rafe, you know what I want you to do."  
  
I dived down and landed in a field in the middle of a small forest, I landed, all right. I grabbed my weapons and ammo, and got as far away from there as I could. A few days later, I found an Allied camp, and I immediately saw one of the other pilots who were shot down.  
  
"Hey girl! Where'd you come from?" asked one of the men.  
  
"I was shot down a few days ago, I'm a pilot, got a problem with that? My name is--"  
  
"Jo McCawley, the famous Wonder Woman who speaks German. We picked you up on the radio signal," said a blonde haired blue eyed American.  
  
"Do I know you?" I asked.  
  
"I should hope so, I've sat next to you since Kindergarten."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
I had no idea who sat next to me, ever.  
  
"I'm Zachary Meklin."  
  
"Oh yeah. I never paid attention to anyone, they all thought I was crazy."  
  
"I know I never said anything, because we all thought you were fantasizing about Danny Walker-- oh did you hear he's--"  
  
"I know! I was there! I was apart of the Doolittle Raid! I never 'fantasized' about him, I do love him. And the morning before he died, he proposed to me. And thank you very much for bringing it up. Now! If you'll excuse me."  
  
And I left him standing there and went looking for the man in charge. I was escorted into his tent and I saluted him.  
  
"Are you a supply nurse?"  
  
"Excuse me sir?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Jo McCawley, pilot. I was shot down by Nazis a few days ago, sir."  
  
"And you survived?"  
  
"I should hope so, sir."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"I like you. You can stay. We got a message to look out for any pilots, so far only two have showed up, we suspect the other are dead or captured. Do need anything?"  
  
"Water would be nice. Even if it is February."  
  
He smiled and poured me a glass.  
  
"Here you go."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
A man ran in.  
  
"Sir, Nazis were spotted four miles from here."  
  
Then he ran back out.  
  
"What rank are you McCawley?"  
  
"American General, sir."  
  
"I thought they were brothers."   
"No sir, it's me and my brother, Rafe, sir. I've got an idea sir, if you don't mind."  
  
"Ma'am I'm a Captain, I'm under you."  
  
"We need men on both sides of the road, a Sniper in the trees, and we must make this camp look deserted. When they have passed by the our last men, we attack, then throw grenades to the front of the line and the Sniper will get anyone who tries to get away."  
  
"It's up to you, ma'am."  
  
"It doesn't matter whether I'm over you or not, you're in charge those men, sir."  
  
He nodded and went out of the tent, I followed him and he called the men together.  
  
"General, will you explain?"  
  
I nodded and got in front of the men.  
  
"Make this place look deserted. I've got false information here. Take any real information and give it to the Captain, toss this false information around. Then report back here for further instructions."  
  
And we all went to work. We knocked down tents and scattered the false information around.  
  
"So, you're a General?" asked Zachary, helping me gather all the blankets.  
  
"Yeah? So?"  
  
"I was just wondering. I'm sorry about Walker."  
  
"It's okay, I was just upset."  
  
"It's okay. So, I heard about you and Bobby Jones."  
  
I looked up at him, confused.  
  
"What about me and Bobby?"  
  
"He told everyone around town that when you came back he proposed and you accepted."  
  
"Why that little liar. He proposed to me two months before I left, in January. I told him no, that we should just be friends. Then he told me he wanted to sleep with me, and I left him standin' by our swimmin' hole."  
  
Zachary laughed and we knocked down that tent. I took the blankets and hid them at the edge of the woods.  
  
"What now, Jo?"  
  
"Okay, is everyone here? Do we have a Sniper?" One man raised his hand. "Good, you'll be in the trees. The rest of us will be on either side of the road, about three feet apart from the man next to you. I'll be furthest away and when the last Nazi is in front of me, I'll fire, and the men at the front will throw hand grenades to the front of their line. When I've fired, we attack, the Sniper will get any Nazi who won't fight like a man. Let's go."  
  
I chose a tree for the Sniper and I helped hide everyone and I got down at the end. The Nazis passed us and the last man was in front of me, I fired, killing both of them. The grenades were thrown, blowing up their tank, and the rest of the men attacked. In about an hour all the Nazis were dead, and none of our were severely injured. About ten had tried to escape, all hit by our Sniper. The men threw their bodies on the side of the road and we moved camp. That night I ate for the first time in a while. We went late into the night, but I only had a few beers, but had coffee the rest of that night. We were listening to two drunk soldiers try to sing and I got lost in my thoughts, staring into my coffee. I stared at the coffee, and the glare off of the lights, and realized something. My coffee looks like Danny's eyes when he laughed. And on my way here I was hallucinating and I thought I saw him, but I know I didn't. When the sun shone bright I thought of Danny hugging and kissing me. I instantly became depressed, but was jerked out of my thoughts.  
  
"Jo? Are you okay? We got a message. Here you go," said Zachary, handing me a telegram.  
  
"You get telegrams in the middle of a war?"  
  
He smiled and I read it. 'General Joe McCawley, we are pleased that you were able to take down those Nazis, but we are regretted to inform you that the other three Americans were shot down and are MISSING IN ACTION. They were shot down before they could get out of Germany. Thank you for you services. Have a nice day.' My heart fell.  
  
"Jo? Are you all right?"  
  
"Have a nice day? They tell me to have a nice day, even though my only friends are missing in action. And they tell me to have a nice freakin' day?"  
  
"Why don't you go to bed?"  
  
"Why don't I shoot myself, so I'll be with my friends."  
  
"Come with me," said a British man helping me up.  
  
He led me to a tent, one I got all to myself.  
  
"Who's tent is this? And who are you?"  
  
"It is the Captain's tent, he thought it more appropriate for you to have your own tent. And I'm Jeremy Kalleer."  
  
"I think the Captain should have his tent, I'd feel better not being by myself. I can't trust myself alone."  
  
"Okay, I'll tell him."  
  
He left me, and the Captain came in.  
  
"So you want to sleep in the soldier's tent?"  
  
"I'd fell better sleeping there. I'm in an bit of a stage, and I kinda can't trust myself alone."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, I talked my fiancé into goin' on the Doolittle Raid and he died, so I'm really upset, as you can imagine."  
  
"All right. Goodnight ma'am."  
  
"Call me Jo."  
  
"Okay, goodnight Jo."  
  
I walked out of his tent and into the soldiers tent. They instantly covered up. I laughed and rolled my eyes.  
  
"Men, I don't care about seein' you, I've lived with men since Pearl."  
  
They relaxed a bit. I got into an empty cot and went to sleep. Over the next few months, we went from place to place only having little skirmishes with Nazis and Fascists. Nothing big. One day, we found a big field of crashed planes, all, who were alive, seemed fine, except for one soldier. He was holding his leg. I went to him.  
  
"Who're you, beautiful lady?" he asked me through gritted teeth.  
  
I felt his leg, I found that it was broken.  
  
"Hold onto this sir," I said, handing him a blanket.  
  
"Why?"  
  
I set his leg and he yelped in pain.  
  
"That's why."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"American General Jo McCawley. Who are you?"  
  
I gathered two long sticks.  
  
"I'm William Wallace. I'm from Scotland."  
  
"Really?" I said sarcastically.  
  
I took one of my extra shirts and ripped it up to make a splint for the man's leg.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"It's no big deal. I'll find a nurse or a doctor."  
  
I stood up and went to find a doctor. I went into the hospital tent and saw people running around and a brunette with glasses ran into me.  
  
"Excuse me," she said, shyly.  
  
"I'm lookin' for a nurse, are you busy?"  
  
She looked up at me, although I looked around, not seein' many patients in there.  
  
"Not really, are you sick?"  
  
"Nah. Man on the edge of the field, his leg's broken, I put it in a splint."  
  
"Are you the nurse we sent for?"  
  
"Nope, I'm a pilot. And don't say I'm not, 'cause I'm a General too."  
  
"I wasn't going to say that, I would have a few months ago, and did in December, but I met her, there aren't many female pilots. I met one in Pearl Harbor."  
  
I looked at her.  
  
"You're one of Evelyn's friends, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes-- You're Rafe McCawley's little sister, aren't you?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"You're Sandra, right?"  
  
"Yes, and you're Jo."  
  
"Yup. I'm going to see what I can do around here. I'll see you later."  
  
And I left. Not knowing in a few hours time, that the Nazis would be knocking on out door.  
  



	4. A New Meaning For Handball

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right  
Chapter 4  
A New Meaning for Handball.  
  
I was getting to know the others when Jason Becken ran up to me.  
  
"General. Nazis. Two miles."  
  
"We don't have any time to organize anything. Tell everyone to get ready."  
  
He ran to tell the others. I got my gun and ammo, I found Dwayne Jensen, the Sniper from our troope, and got him into a tree about the field. Not too long afterward, the Nazis showed up. It was a massacre. i was killing people left and right. One man was about to kill Zachary, and I lost focus for a minute, but still managed to kill the man. Zachary got up and pointed his gun toward me, killing the Nazi behind me. Next thing I know I was hit in the head and knocked unconscious. When I came to, I looked around, everyone appeared dead, other than two... five.... eight Nazi soldiers. What are they-- that's disgusting. They're playing baseball with a-- head for a ball and for a bat, I swallowed hard, they had an-- arm. My stomach cramped and I lost my breakfast lunch and dinner from the past week because of what I saw and the stench of the dead. I loaded up my gun with eight bullets and I stood up. I fired and missed their heads and hearts on purpose, just to watch them die.  
  
"No one messes with me and lives, you Nazi bastards," I said watching them die.  
  
When they were all dead. I grabbed a revolver and a pistol, and some ammo, just in case I ran into trouble. I hid them under my jacket, and I walked. I walked west, for a week, looking for an Allied camp. A few people stopped, but I kept walking. During that week was when the flashbacks began, they were quick, but all of them were of the battles I had been in. I hadn't eaten in a week, and I thought I had heard American voices, and then I saw an camp, with American, British, and Russian men. Then, I passed out. When I awoke, I was in a tent. I heard some movement next to me. I stood, and began to put up my hair as I looked around the curtain. The man turned and saw me, dropping all the bandages.  
  
"Jo?"  
  
"Gooz!"  
  
He hugged me and swung me around.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm starving, I haven't eaten in quite a while, but other than that, I'm fine."  
  
"Okay, come with me."  
  
"Wait, I've got to put my shoes on."  
  
I slipped on my boots and followed Gooz to another tent to eat. I sat down and they passed out Sloppy Joes. I took mine, and bent over it, shoving it into my mouth. I didn't notice everyone starting at me. When I was done, I looked up and saw them all looking at me.  
  
"Jo? Are you okay?" asked Gooz.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Hey y'all."  
  
"Wonder Woman, you amaze me," said Red.  
  
"Hello to you too, Red. And I haven't eaten in a week, I think I'm allowed to eat like this. Are you going' to finish that Gooz?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Not after watching you eat," he replied, putting his Sloppy Joe on my plate.  
  
I stuck my tongue out at him and ate the Sloppy Joe.  
  
When we were done, well, when I was done, Red, Gooz and I went for a walk.  
  
"So, where's Rafe?"  
  
There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Uh... he was kinda shot down, separate from us," explained Red.  
  
"Kinda?"  
  
"Yup," said Gooz.  
  
I yawned.  
  
"I'm tired. Where do I sleep?"  
  
They led me to a tent with cots, they showed me an empty one in between their's, I took off my jacket and shoes and went to sleep. The next day, I wasn't hungry, I just wasn't. I knew I needed to eat, I weighed about eighty pounds. I went to the mess tent and sat next to Gooz.  
  
"Hungry?" one of the men asked.  
  
"Not really, to tell you the truth.  
  
They seemed surprised.  
  
"Jo, don't do that, you did that when Danny died, don't do that. You have to eat something," said Gooz.  
  
"I don't have to do anything."  
  
"Jo, don't be stubborn. Please eat something," pleaded Red.  
  
"I'm- not- hungry. Are- y'all- deaf?" I said slowly.  
  
"O- kay, "said the man across from me.  
  
The day went by with Red and Gooz begging me to eat, but I kept telling them I wasn't hungry. When they weren't on my back, I prayed for Rafe. The next afternoon, before lunch, Gooz, Red and I were staring at he sky. I was in need of flying. We heard the sound of footstep and we looked at a large group of men walking toward us, all of them staring at me.  
  
"Why do men do that?" I asked, standing up and dusting myself off.  
  
"Do what?" asked Gooz  
  
"Stare."  
  
"Because you're beautiful," said Red.  
  
I rolled my eyes and looked at them, seeing if I recognized any of them. Than at that moment I saw the man I'd wanted to see for a month. I ran to him, and jumped and he caught me, I hugged him both my arms and legs around him, holding onto him for dear life, and began to cry.  
  
"Rafe. Oh God, I was so worried."  
  
"Jo, I'm glad to see you're all right."  
  
He carried me back to Gooz and Red. I ignored all the whistles I was receiving.  
  
"Rafe, don't ever leave me again."  
  
"Okay, Wings, I won't."  
  
Then he dropped me on my butt. I stood up and smacked his shoulder jokingly.  
  
"Hey McCawley, is that your girl?" asked an Irish man walking up to us.  
  
"Hell no, Ian. This is my little sister, Jo."  
  
"Nice to meet you," I said, sticking out my hand.  
  
"The pleasure is mine," he said kissing my hand.  
  
"Right."  
  
Then he left, although he seemed reluctant. I personally was kinda glad.  
  
"He's such a ladies man," said Rafe.  
  
Red and Gooz let the laughter loose that they had obviously been holding in.  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's obviously happy that I'm your sister."  
  
"That's because you're the most beautiful girl anyone has ever seen," came a deep Brooklyn voice.  
  
I turned around. It was Tony and Earl. Gooz stood behind Earl and Tony and Red stood behind me.  
  
"Hi," I said.  
  
"Aloha," said Earl.  
  
"Y'all pilots?"  
  
"We're workin' on it," said Gooz.  
  
Red, Tony and I looked at each other.  
  
"We're the Pride of the Pacific, who're you?" asked Earl.  
  
I looked at Red and Tony and smiled.   
  
"We're the Terrors of the Skies," I said. Danny had told me about that conversation. I took his place in it. "Hey Tony, hi Earl. And Tony, your flattery doesn't work on my, or that clover oil stuff. How are you two?"  
  
I hugged them both.  
  
"We're doin' good. And Tony's right, you are beautiful, just don't tell our girls back home," said Earl.  
  
"Girls? Who?"  
  
"Remember those two nurses from Pearl? Martha and Barbara? Well, I'm marrying' Martha and Tony's marrying' Barbara."  
  
"Really? Tony's gettin' married? I thought she hated you."  
  
"She said she did but she really didn't," said Tony.  
  
"Ooo, lunchtime, let's go."  
  
We went to the Mess tent and we caught up and we ate. Earl pulled letters out of his pocket.  
  
"Found them after the raid began, on the carrier," he said, handing them to me.  
  
Most of them had been crumpled.  
  
"Joe? Who's Joe? This one's yours Earl."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
I handed him his letter from his little brother Joe, and read the rest. 'Dear Jo, I love you, you are the light of my life' I was crumpled up. 'Dearest Jo, I know this is random, but I have to tell you some thing. I love you.' Crumpled. 'To my dearest love Jo' 'Jo, I love you' 'Hey Jo, I love you' All were crumpled up. I finally got to the last one, which was folded neatly in an envelope, addressed to me. My hands trembled slightly, as if I knew what was written. I opened it and I read.   
  
'Your laughter takes away the winter night,   
And turns it into the spring light.  
Your eyes dance when you smile,  
I love you even when you're hostile.  
Even when you first awake,  
You make my heart and hands shake.  
You are beautiful, kind and brave,  
And if you ask me to, I'll be your slave.  
I'd do anything and everything for you.  
And I can only pray you love me too.  
  
I hope you like it. It's not easy to rhyme, especially the word smile. I just wanted you to know, that I love you, even thought I didn't make it through the mission (I asked one of the guys to get this to you if I didn't make it) and that you should move on.   
  
Yours always and forever,  
  
Danny.'  
  
I folded it back up and wiped the tears from my eyes.  
  
"Jo? Are you all right?" asked Rafe.  
  
I handed him the letter, when he was done they passed it around.  
  
"I didn't know he could write poetry," said Gooz.  
  
"And it's very well written," said Red.  
  
Rafe hugged me.  
  
"McCawley!" said Major Fellicetti.  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Message for you. Here."  
  
He handed me a telegram and left.  
  
'J. McCawley, return immediately STOP.'  
  
"I'm not going."  
  
"You have to go," said Tony.  
  
"No I don't, they didn't use my position, and there wasn't a signature."  
  
"That's true," said Gooz, looking at it over my shoulder.  
  
That night, I dreamt of the battle between my troope and the Nazis. I woke up, screaming. Gooz, Rafe, and Red were falling all over each other to get their pants on and get to me. A French man began to shout at me, as Tony and Earl made their way over. Rafe sat on my bed next to me.  
  
"Va te faire voir!" the French man shouted.  
  
"Non, toi! Toi!"  
  
He paled a bit.  
  
"What did they say?" whispered Gooz.  
  
"He told her to go to Hell and she said no you."  
  
Gooz laughed.  
  
"Je suis une Generale," I said to him.  
  
He paled even more.  
  
"What did she say now?" asked Gooz.  
  
"I told him I was a General."  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Rafe.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, how's Evelyn and the baby?"  
  
"They're good, now go back to sleep."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I rolled over and went back to sleep. Over the next month, Germans were pressing harder on Poland, and we were trapped there. We had to be on guard 24/7. One morning, I had come out of the tent early but was hit in the head. When I awoke, I didn't know anyone around me. They shouted at me..... in German.   
  



	5. Inga? Who's Inga?

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right  
Chapter 5  
Inga? Who's Inga?  
  
"Where am I?" I asked, in German.  
  
"At out humble camp, m'lady," said one of them, bowing.  
  
Nazis. Great. And I'm tied up, so no seduction can be used at the moment. Well, I can just act like a cute little German girl who was captured by the Allies, no that wouldn't be good if they attacked. I'll say that I just acted like one of their nurses to keep them from killing me. There. That's what I'll say.  
  
"How did a beautiful young lady like yourself get in such an awful camp?" one asked me, in German. (A/N: All of this conversation will be in German, but will be written in English)  
  
"They came through our village, and I posed as one of their nurses to keep them from killing me. I won't be accused of treason will I?" I said.  
  
"No, miss. We rescued you. We thought you were a prisoner," said another.  
  
I counted about ten of them, I couldn't escape through fighting, I'd have to talk my way out.  
  
"Not true! You thought she was one of them!"  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"Boys! Stop arguing! It doesn't matter what you thought I was. What matters is that you have an innocent woman tied up," I said, then I smiled.  
  
That did it, they fell all over each other to untie me. The one who was obviously in charge, took my hand and led me to his room. Well, what the hey! I'm doing this for my country. And note to self: Never ever tell Rafe about this!   
  
"Well, miss, what is your name?"  
  
I had to think of something German.  
  
"My name is Shoemaker (A/N: Pronounced Shoemakker, with a short a) Inga Shoemaker."  
  
Well, Inga isn't German, but oh well.  
  
"Beautiful name. Would you like something more comfortable to wear?"  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
Then he left and came back with this long, tight blue, satin dress. I was shocked, first that he brought me back a dress, and that what he was trying to get me to do. I knew he was going to try to get me out of it in a while. I thanked him, took it and put it on. It was very clingy, and it was very low cut. What did these German women wear? My mother would kill me if she saw I had even seen this, much less put it on. I brushed my hair, which was kinda painful, as I don't own a brush or comb. When I was done, he came up behind me and kissed my shoulder. He picked me up and dropped me on the bed.  
  
"Where did you live, miss?"   
  
"Berlin, but we moved outside Berlin to the country when I was five."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
He was now on top of me and I was not comfortable. I instantly remembered Danny.  
  
"I can't do this, I must have my parents approval, first."  
  
"They won't know, come on, relax."  
  
I sighed, there was no way of getting out of this.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Well he eventually did get me out of that dress, I felt so guilty. Luckily, he was called away, so I had time to get redressed. He kept me in his room to do the same thing every night, for a week. By then I had seven dresses, they were blue, red, green, black, white, yellow, and purple. Then one night, about midnight he was called away and when he came back at about six, he led me to a car, I was dressed in the red dress.  
  
"Come with me."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"I'm taking you back to the Americans, so they don't get suspicious, although it has been a week. I'll miss you terribly. I'll find you after this war, and we'll get married."  
  
"I can't my parents have all ready promised me to someone, although they won't tell me who."  
  
"Oh. Well, remember I love you."  
  
I smiled, pretending to be sad. I was forcing myself to cry. He handed me a large package.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"It's the dresses among other things. Keep them, from me to you."  
  
He kissed my shoulder and worked his way up, right before we reached the camp. When we did, he stayed a mile or so away, and dropped me off. I'm so glad I still had my army clothes, it'd be kind of hard to fight in these dresses. When I got to the camp they all stared at me.  
  
"Rafe?" I called.  
  
He came out of the tent and his jaw dropped. He ran to me and I hugged him.  
  
"Jo! Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, those German lessons came in handy this past week."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I've got some German secrets."  
  
"Really? How?"   
  
Gooz, Red, Earl and Tony came out of the tent, their eyes bulged.  
  
"Well, they captured me, and this one guy wouldn't shut up, so I found out things, and they gave me a dress for every day I was there. All in different colors, and don't say a word about it."  
  
A few of the guys began to whistle, and Ian heard the commotion and came out. He saw me. Great, he'll drool on me more than that German man did. Rafe noticed everyone staring and took off his jacket and covered me up, leading me into the tent so I could get a shower and dressed. I took a shower and listened to the music that one of the men was playing. Without realizing it, I began to sing to it. When I was dressed I went to dinner and the men began to clap for me. I was so confused.  
  
"Why are they clapping?" I asked Rafe, when I sat down next to him.  
  
"No one knew you could sing, not even me."  
  
"I don't sing."  
  
"Liar, everyone heard you when you were in the shower, you're great!" said Red.  
  
"For a dying animal," said Gooz.  
  
I smacked him and ate my dinner, When I was done, I told the man in charge about the secrets and he told Washington. Over the next few months, everyone forgot about me being captured, either that or they got tired of asking. I never told any of them about what happened. But the only thing that had changed was Ian, I noticed he followed me and stared at me constantly. That June, Normandy happened. I was shocked to hear about it. I mean, the American bombers even bombed their own men, by accident! How stupid can men get? After dinner was when we sat and talked about whatever we thought of.  
  
"Apples," said Gooz.  
  
"Huh?" I replied.  
  
"What do you think of when you think of apples, it tells about your personality. I'll say a word and you tell me what comes to your mind. Apples."  
  
"Fruit."  
  
"Fruit."  
  
"You acting like an idiot after Pearl on the way to Japan."  
  
Red, Rafe, Tony, and Earl laughed.  
  
"Me acting like an idiot on the way to Japan."  
  
"Danny not bein' there to save me."  
  
"Okay, next one. Coffee."  
  
"Danny's eyes."  
  
"Okay. The color white."  
  
"Teeth."  
  
"Teeth."  
  
"Smiles."  
  
"Smiles."  
  
"Danny's smiles."  
  
They all sighed.  
  
"Does everything remind you of Danny?" asked Red.  
  
"Just about."  
  
"Here's a hard one. Feet," said Red.  
  
"Walkin'."  
  
"Walking."  
  
"Walkin' on the beach..."  
  
"Walking--"  
  
"...with Danny."  
  
They groaned.  
  
"Ships," said Tony.  
  
"Pearl Harbor."  
  
"Pearl Harbor."  
  
"Doolittle Raid."  
  
"Doolittle Raid."  
  
"Japs."  
  
"Japs."   
"Danny."  
  
They sighed.  
  
"Earl, it's your turn."  
  
"Ooo, um, music."  
  
"Dancin'," I said.  
  
"Dancing,"  
  
"When we were kids Rafe used to lock me in the barn, once he locked me and Danny in, Danny by accident, and turned on the radio, and the music came on and we got tired of sittin' and listenin' to the music, so we danced. Then worked on Pa's plane after a few songs."  
  
"Okay, Rafe, your go."  
  
"Okay, here's a hard one. Acting immature."  
  
"Stickin' out your tongue."  
  
"Oh, I'm leavin'. So far everything reminds you of Danny, and I don't want to hear this."  
  
And he left, although I knew he was waiting outside the tent.  
  
"So? What does sticking out your tongue make you think about?" asked Gooz.  
  
I blushed.  
  
"Kissing."  
  
"Not Danny?"  
  
"Danny's only ever kissed me on the cheek."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm tired I'm goin' to bed."  
  
And I left them there, but before I was out of earshot, I heard what they said about my personality.  
  
"She doesn't let things go easily," said Red.  
  
Over the next few months we moved closer and closer to the French coast, close to England. When we finally got there, the Germans found us out.  
  
"Okay, no one talk, act like you have a disability of some sort, blindness, deafness, muteness, something like that. I'll do all the talking," I instructed them.  
  
That German who had drooled on me the year before saw me.  
  
"Inga!" (German translated into English)  
  
"Gerard!"  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm helping these disabled men to Spain. They need help, and I heard that Spain can help them fit in."  
  
"Why are they dressed like American soldiers?"  
  
"We had to stop to eat, and they took us in, and gave them clothes, because theirs were all dirty, and smelly."  
  
"They didn't know you were German?"  
  
"They did, but since I was not fighting physically against them, they helped us out, although reluctantly."  
  
"Oh, okay. How will you get there?"  
  
"I was going to find a plane to fly them there, I was going to fly them, it's cheaper."  
  
"Yes, you are right, we'll give you this plane to get you there, it has no markings on it, so the Allies won't shoot you down, or us by accident."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Where in Spain is it?"  
  
"Northern Spain."  
  
He nodded. I got them into the plane, and smiled at Gerard, still acting. I handed him a note.  
  
"Don't open it until I'm out of sight, okay, promise me that. Do you swear?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"May I die at your hand if I read it before."  
  
"Good."  
  
I got into the plane and I took off, heading North , although I did go over Spain, I never landed there, I went straight to Britain. When we got there they were so happy. They hugged me and asked me what I had said, and I told them.  
  
"So, Jo how do you know him?"  
  
"He was that German I spent a freaking week with. I told him my name was Inga. And he believed every word I said!"  
  
"What did that note say?" asked Ian.  
  
"It told him that I had lied and that my real name was Jo McCawley, born and raised in Tennessee, USA, and that I'm a General in the American Army, and that I was about to be married to a pilot, and that I would never tell anyone about what happened as a favor to him, since he did let me go."  
  
"You're too nice."  
  
"Me? Too nice? No way! I'm only nice to people who have done me favors. If you haven't done me any favors or have annoyed me, such as stalking me, I'm only nice when I have to be."  
  
When I mentioned stalking, Ian got nervous.  
  
"Who's stalking you?" asked Rafe.  
  
"Ask around. Most people know, but haven't said anything."  
  
Rafe turned around and asked Josh McClellan.  
  
"Yeah, I'm surprised you haven't noticed, we all stare, but Ian scares us all from doing it. He brags that she's going to marry him and all that."  
  
"Really?" said Rafe.  
  
"Yeah, well I'm going to send word to my family."  
  
A man walked by me and handed me a telegram. I opened it, hoping it was news from Ma and Pa. 'To Generals J. McCawley and R. McCawley STOP You mother and father were killed in a car accident on April 17 of 1945 STOP We send you our deepest sympathy sincerely, President Wilson STOP.' I sat down and put my head in my hands.  
  
"What's wrong Jo?" asked Rafe, sitting next to me.  
  
I handed him the telegram, and he hugged me, rocking back and forth as I cried.  
  
"I want to go home."  
  
"Okay, well, Minister Churchill is sending all of us home, we are no longer needed here."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I went into the room Gooz, Red, Tony, Earl, Rafe and I were sharing with a few others and I fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw William Wallace from the year before. We talked, and he said he was doing fine, and that he was going home to Scotland. I told him what I had been doing (excluding the German incidents) and he told me about what he had done, although I wasn't listening very carefully. The next day we were on our way home. When we got there we went to Tennessee, and we paid our respects to our parents. And went through who got what. I didn't want the house, but Rafe did, so he got the house, and Pa's things and I got the money and Ma's jewelry. I stayed a few days with Rafe, Evelyn and Danny Jr., but I didn't feel right. I left, for Washington, to buy a house or apartment. I stayed with Gooz, but before I could even look for an apartment, Doolittle came for a visit. I was alone, Gooz had gone somewhere, and someone knocked on the door. I went to open it and Doolittle walked in. I saluted, he saluted back.  
  
"I'm going to get to the point, we need you in the Pacific, back at Pearl. Are you up for it?" he said.  
  
"Hello, sir. How are you? And I'd be glad to, it's boring doing nothing here. When do I leave?"  
  
"Tomorrow, seven hundred hours. I'm fine, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow morning."  
  
And he left. I closed the door behind him and went to pack. After a few minutes of packing, Gooz came back.  
  
"Find an apartment?" he asked.  
  
"Nope. Doolittle's assigned me to the Pacific. I'm leaving tomorrow."  
  
"Well, the apartment upstairs is for sale, want it?"  
  
"Sure. I need to get it today, though."  
  
"Good. Come with me."  
  
He grabbed my arm and led me down to the bottom floor and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in," said a scratchy voice from inside.  
  
Gooz dragged me in.  
  
"Lenny, I got a buyer for the apartment above mine," said Gooz.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Me," I said.  
  
"You? If you two are so involved, why don't you continue to live together."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You two are livin' together, right?"  
  
"No sir, I'm just staying with him until I find an apartment. I'm leaving tomorrow for the Pacific."  
  
"Why? You work out there or somethin'?"  
  
"Sort of, I'm going to help with the end of the war."  
  
He laughed. I stood there and my eyes narrowed, he stopped laughing and looked at me.  
  
"You're serious, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes sir, I'm a pilot. That's how I met Gooz."  
  
"Who's Gooz?"  
  
"Him," I said pointing to Gooz, who raised his hand slightly.  
  
"Gooz? I thought your name was Eugene."  
  
"That's my given name, Gooz is my nickname, I go by Gooz."  
  
I burst out laughing. Gooz elbowed me.  
  
"I like you lady, it's yours. You can pay me when you get back from the Pacific."  
  
We shook hands, and I gave him my name, and answered his questions. Then I went back upstairs to pack. Gooz and I sat up all night playing games.   
  
"Twister!" he shouted.  
  
"No! I can't play twister, it needs another player, so someone can spin."  
  
"I'll spin, I'll drag the spinner around with me."  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Left foot green."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Right hand yellow."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Right foot yellow."  
  
It went on like that for a while, until we realized, it Gooz fell, he's land on top of me. Someone knocked on the door, and he jumped.  
  
"Come in!"  
  
The door opened and closed, but no one came into the den. Gooz tried to get up, but fell, and landed on top of me. Then Red came in.  
  
"Did I interrupt something?"  
  
"No, we were playing twister, and Gooz fell, pulling me down with him," I said pushing him off of me and getting up.  
  
"Hey Red," said Gooz.  
  
"Did I pack everything?" I asked myself.  
  
"Pack? Where are you going?" asked Red.  
  
"She's going to the Pacific, Doolittle came by today," said Gooz, while I thought about what I forgot.  
  
"My sock drawer!" I shouted.  
  
They looked at me.  
  
"Are you okay Jo?" asked Gooz, taking a step back from me.  
  
"Yeah, I forgot to pack my sock drawer."  
  
I went into the guest room and finished packing. I heard the telephone ring and Gooz pick it up, I didn't hear what he said. When I went back out Red had left, and Gooz was putting Twister away.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, you're not alone in going to the Pacific, Red and I are going too. He left to go pack. I'm going to pack now, then we can play more games. Red's gonna bring his stuff over and play with us."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We played games until we fell asleep. I woke up first, and got dressed and started breakfast. They eventually woke up.  
  
"Morning beautiful," said Gooz, sitting at the table.  
  
"Are you talking to yourself again?" I asked.  
  
"Ouch," said Red, sitting down too.   
  
I handed them their food, and gave myself a little, and we got ready and left for the train station.  
  
When we finally made it back to Hawaii we went straight to put our things away, we had the same bunk as we did when we were there before. We each got our own bed. Everyone who was still alive from then were there, I sat on Danny's bed, and realized something was under his mattress. I stood up and flipped the mattress over.  
  
"Jo, what are you doing?" asked Tony.  
  
"My letters to him and Rafe, he kept them under his mattress. And here are some he never sent. There are pictures here. And a journal."  
  
I read the letters out loud.  
  
"Oh your life was just so exciting," said Earl sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up. Why do you think I joined the Army? I couldn't stand being on that farm, that's why Rafe got it. Should I read the journal? I don't want to read it, I feel as if I'm invading his privacy."  
  
"If you don't want to, I will," said Gooz, trying to get it from me.  
  
"No, that's okay. I'll read it to myself first. 'Month three of training- Surprise, surprise Rafe got us in trouble, again. Talking me into doing barrel rolls. I got another letter from Jo. Poor thing, everyone's still making fun of her, because she has no life. That's not her fault. I miss her, so does Rafe. He says he only misses her because he doesn't have to beg her to do things like barrel rolls or outside loops, or chicken. She loved doing that.' I'll read the one's I approve of. 'Month three, week two- Today Rafe yet again got us n trouble, and out of it. Today we played chicken, and he was such a suck up to Major Doolittle, again. Rafe's leaving for England tomorrow. Tonight we're going to the city to dance with the nurses. I'm so not excited. Yet again, I wish Jo were here, she'd be able to help me. Rafe's not much of a help, all he ever talks about is Evelyn, Evelyn, flying, doing tricks, Evelyn and his favorite subject in the world Evelyn. Every now and then I can get him talking about Jo. I don't get much of a response there.' 'Well, we're in Hawaii, we made some friends, I miss Rafe and Jo awfully. Without them, I have no one. I hate being shy! I really need Jo here. I had a dream last night. It was of Rafe being shot down and dying, then Jo came with a halo and white wings to tell me about it. It was awful, because then she told me that she was dead too, crashing in my Pa's plane, dusting our crops for us. I think she will be an Angel when she dies, which I pray is not anytime even close to soon. I love her, as a sister, although I'm not sure it's in that way anymore.' Whoa. Why didn't he tell me?"  
  
Then I realized I was crying and I left for a long walk on the beach.  
  



	6. Born To Fly

All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right  
Chapter 6  
Born to Fly  
  
I was finally able to get back in a plane, I was so excited. We did our usual routine, like before we entered the war. We got up, ready, ate breakfast, worked on the planes, ate lunch, worked on the planes, test fly the planes, then dinner. On that first morning, I was the first up, as usual. I got ready and then waited outside for the others to get ready. I half expected that officer to come up and flirt with me, and Danny to come out here and tell me to stay away from him, then insult the man, in his inconspicuous way. I was never able to do that. I always tell people straight what I think of them. Red opened the door, neither of us said anything. I went back in and sat on my neatly made bed.  
  
"Jo? Why didn't you sleep in your bed last night?" asked Tony.  
  
"What? I slept in my bed last night!"  
  
"No you didn't," said Earl.  
  
"Then, where did I sleep, if y'all know so much."  
  
"Turn around, did you make your bed this morning?" asked Red.  
  
"No." I looked at my bed, I was sitting on my bed. "Who made my--"   
  
I saw Danny's bed, I had slept in Danny's bed. I sighed.  
  
"Are you okay Jo?" asked Gooz.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I miss him way too much."  
  
"It's okay, Jo we all miss him."  
  
I sighed again, and finished getting ready, then we left for breakfast. I really didn't say much, I couldn't think of anything to say to them. After breakfast, I went to start on the planes, I was done about an hour before the others. I immediately found the plane that needed the most care, I got out everything I needed and I went to work. The guys came in when I was almost done. They didn't see me, I could hear them talking.  
  
"I wonder where she could be," said Red.  
  
"She can't be far. You know her. She's got to be around planes," said Gooz.  
  
"Yeah, but, well, she was upset this morning, and planes make her think of Danny."  
  
"Everything makes her think of Danny," said Earl.  
  
"True, but I don't blame her. Most things make me think of Betty."  
  
If I keep working on the plane quietly they'll never know I'm here . But, they're right, you know. I do think of Danny. I wonder if he's watching over us, I wonder if he still loves me. The wires I was working on sparked, for no reason, I mean it was hot sparks. I jumped back, and cursed. The guys saw me.  
  
"Jo! How long have you been here?" asked Earl.  
  
"Since I finished breakfast. Did y'all see that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The wires, they sparked, but the plane isn't runnin', it shouldn't do that. It surprised me."  
  
"That's impossible," said Red.  
  
"No, Red, anything's possible. Jo did wear a tight, quite revealing red dress in the middle of a war. Nothing's impossible after that," said Gooz.  
  
"Shut up Gooz! I had no decision in that! If I'd have had my way, I would have killed them all, but I couldn't as I was out numbered a hundred to one!" I protested.  
  
"Okay."  
  
I rolled my eyes and finished the plane I was working on, without any more weird sparks. Colonel Doolittle came in, just as I began to work on another plane.   
  
"Good. You're all here," he said.  
  
"Where else would we be, sir?" said Gooz.  
  
"Good point. General McCawley? Where is she?"  
  
"Right here sir," I said, hanging upside down from under the plane.  
  
"How much time have you spent with Gooz?"  
  
"A lot of time sir, I can't seem to get rid of him, sir."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you haven't killed him. Does anyone know where that awful- looking plane is, it's not here."  
  
"Yes sir, it is."  
  
"I don't see it."  
  
"Look closer, sir. I fixed it up this mornin'. It's over there."  
  
I went back working on the plane.   
  
"General, would you please come here?"  
  
I got out of the plane and walked over to him.  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Did anyone help you do this?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"Where were they?"  
"Eating breakfast, sir."  
  
"Why weren't you?"  
  
"I'd already eaten, sir."  
  
"You didn't talk?"  
  
"Nothin' to say sir."  
  
"Did you paint it too?"  
  
"First thing."  
  
"Nothing artistic?"  
  
"I'm not creative, sir."  
  
The men laughed.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No sir, I'm the most uncreative person ever."  
  
"I doubt that. How bad do you want to fly?"  
  
"More than I want to breathe, although to me there's really no difference."  
  
"Good. I want to see you fly this plane later today. Understand?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
Then he left.  
  
"He likes to ask questions, doesn't he?" said Earl.  
  
"Obviously," said Tony.  
  
I laughed, and went back to work. I skipped lunch, to work on the other planes, then I was finally able to get in one. I got into the one I had fixed up and flew around the sky. It was heavenly. I felt as if Danny was flying next to me. I loved being up in the sky. I did barrel rolls, outside loops, unfortunately I couldn't play chicken, no one to play it with. Who is that? There was someone heading straight at me. Not stopping. I decided to play a little chicken.  
  
"Righty tighty," came a familiar voice, although I couldn't place it, I was too excited I was playing chicken again.  
  
"Okay."  
  
We played chicken and the men were laughing and clapping, and I landed. I got out and Gooz picked me up and spun me around.  
  
"I can't believe, General, that you fixed that up, all by yourself," said Doolittle.  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
"I can't believe you played chicken, I thought I had told you not to do that with the government's planes."  
  
I noticed he was looking behind me. I turned around and saw Rafe.  
  
"I knew I recognized your voice."  
  
"You didn't realize it was me?" he asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"I feel so loved."  
  
"I know you do."  
  
Everyone laughed at me and Rafe. Within the week we were on Midway Island, fighting for it. We won, and not long after that we won the war in the Pacific. We went back to Hawaii for another week. I was still working on the planes when Doolittle walked in.  
  
"Afternoon sir," I said.  
  
"Good Afternoon General. I've a question for you."  
  
"Go ahead sir."  
  
"Do you ever take a break?"  
  
"Not usually, sir."  
  
"Well, I order you to enjoy your last week doing something other than fixing up these old planes."  
  
I sighed. I couldn't win this argument. Then I remembered Rafe bringing a box in for me this morning.  
  
"Okay, sir."  
  
He smiled and I went back to our bunk and opened the box. It was a swim suit. It was that kind-- um-- what did they call them? Oh yeah, a bikini. I sighed I looked at the box again. To: Jo, I hope you wear it. From: Rafe. I put it on and put my overalls over it.  
  
"Jo! You came out!" yelled Red.  
  
I waved, then I took off my overalls, reluctantly. It was too hot to wear them anyway. I saw the guys looking at me, all of them surprised.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh my Lord. I've died and that's an Angel!" shouted Gooz.  
  
"Shut up! And don't look at me like that!"  
  
"Come out here with us Jo!" called Rafe.  
  
"Only if you make them stop starin', before I do!"  
  
"Okay. Y'all she'll come in the water if y'all don't stare at her like that. If she catches you doin' that she'll kill you. Okay?"  
  
They nodded and I joined them in the water. A half an hour later two women put towels down on the beach and laid in the sun. One had black hair and the other was a blonde. Martha and Barbara, I could hear them.  
  
"Hey Earl! Tony!"  
  
"What?" they said together.  
  
"Can you go get my hair holder on the beach?"  
  
"Both of us?" asked Earl  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Okay," said Tony.   
  
And they walked up to the beach. Then they saw Martha and Barbara. They hugged, kissed, and talked. Martha and Barbara shook their heads to what the other two had said. They smiled and picked the two girls up and ran into the water. They dropped Martha and Barbara in the water and were playing around. Something hit me. I turned, it was Gooz's surf board, and Gooz was chasing it.  
  
"Wanna try?" he asked.  
  
I shrugged.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Know how?"  
  
"I've seen you fall off enough times to know what NOT to do."  
  
The others laughed, and I swam out on the board, not too far from the guys. I waited for the best wave and I surfed in to the shore. The guys clapped and I took the board back out to Gooz.   
  
"Have you ever surfed before?"  
  
"No. That was my first time on a surf board."   
  
Barbara, Tony, Martha and Earl came out to us. As Gooz glared at me and went back out on the waves.  
  
"That was great!" said Martha.  
  
"Do you have your own surf board?" asked Barbara.   
"No, that was my first time on a surf board. This is my first time in the ocean," I replied.  
  
Everyone stared at me.  
  
"Really? You didn't get in before Pearl?" asked Rafe.  
  
"Nope, no time. I was always workin' on the planes."  
  
"Well, Danny always found time," said Martha.  
  
"Yeah, he and Evelyn came to the beach almost everyday. It was so sweet," said Barbara.  
  
I had forgotten about the two of them being together.  
  
"I didn't want to come to the beach because of that, actually," I said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. I came a couple times, but never got any further than the beach, then I left. I never stayed for more than five minutes."  
  
"Oh. Were you in love with Danny?" asked Martha.  
  
"I still am, and always will be. I'm getting hungry. I'm gonna grab a bite to eat."  
  
I swam to shore, with Rafe not far behind me. He grabbed my foot. I stopped.  
  
"Jo, are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, why? I'm just hungry."  
  
"No, not about that, about people talking about Danny."  
  
"Why would I be not okay about that?"  
  
"Why should you be? They only know about what happened with Evelyn and Danny, that's how they know about him."  
  
"Okay? And I should care?"  
  
"Yes! God Jo! You're being so hard headed!"  
  
"So would you rather me be that little girl that lets everyone walk all over her, and not have a problem with it? Well, Rafe, I have feelings, although I don't show them all the time! I'm sorry I'm not that little girl the whole world wanted me to be! I think I'm who I want to be! I'm not sure any more! I could always feel right with Danny! Now, I can't be myself! You're obsessed with Evelyn, and Gooz, Red, Tony, and Earl don't want me hanging around them all the time. Danny made me feel like someone cared about me when you and Ma didn't! Did I ever tell you where I went when I was upset, when I wasn't in that tree?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I went over to Danny's I climbed to his window and knocked quietly, and talked to him until I felt better then I came into our house. I let you have the house, because everything there reminds me of Danny! I can't stand it! And you'd never understand! You didn't loose the only person that ever loved you forever! You have Evelyn! I have no one! No one, Rafe! I'm goin' in."  
  
And I left him there. I went into our bunk and cried, I tried not to, but I couldn't help it. Right before the others got back, I left. I went out for dinner. I went out and ate, then went out to a night club, I needed a drink bad. After an hour or two, they found me. I was feeling better, but I knew it wouldn't last.  
  
"Jo. Come on, we're leavin' now," said Rafe.  
  
"No."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said no."  
  
"Well, I said we're leavin'."  
  
"And I said no I'm not."  
  
"Jo, come on, please," said Gooz.  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"We can play Twister."  
  
"I hate Twister."  
  
"Then you can go to sleep, and if we leave now, you won't throw up so much."  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Then we left. The next morning, I felt horrible, just as I had the night we thought Rafe was dead. I got up, dressed and I left. No one followed me, I was surprised. I went out shopping, something I had never done before, without being forced to. I bought myself breakfast, and walked around for a while, buying on impulse. After lunch, I went back to the base, with a bunch of bags in my hands. Rafe, Red and Gooz were waiting for me.  
  
"Jo! Where were--" began Rafe.  
  
"I went shoppin', don't say anything. I went out, got some new clothes, and some other stuff I just got."  
  
"You did what?" asked Gooz.  
  
"What? I went shoppin', big deal."  
  
"Ma just rolled over in her grave," said Rafe.  
  
I sighed and put my things away. I had a bunch of little toy planes, I handed them to Rafe. He just stared at me.  
  
"They're for Danny."  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
I shook my head, and continued to unload my things, I also got two hula shirts, and a wrap around hula skirt, for the beach. I got a few paintings, and a bunch of photo frames.  
  
"Paintin's? Frames? Bed covers?"  
  
"I do need somethin' to move into my apartment."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"Oh yeah, what do you think I'd move in with you and Evelyn?"  
  
"No, I forgot about your apartment."  
  
Then I pulled out my snacks. Chips, chocolate, Hostess cakes, and soda.  
  
"Do I even want to ask?" asked Tony, walking in with Barbara, Earl, and Martha.  
  
"I went shoppin'," I said.  
  
He choked.  
  
"You did what?"  
  
"I went shoppin'. Is there something wrong with that?"  
  
"Well, yeah. YOU went shopping!" said Earl.  
  
I stuck out my tongue at him.  
  
"What did you get?" asked Barbara.  
  
"Shirts, a skirt--" Earl choked this time. "Toy planes, for my nephew, painting's of Hawaii, frames for my many photos, and bed covers, because I'm movin' into an apartment. When I get back to Washington, I'm going furniture shoppin'."  
  
"What's with the snacks?" asked Martha  
  
"Post- death depression."  
  
"You're dead?" asked Barbara.  
  
I stared at her.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Why post- death depression?"  
  
"Because Danny's dead, but I never had any time to wallow, so I'm doin' it now."  
  
I saw Rafe reach for the chips out of the corner of my eye. I slapped his hand away.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Those are mine!"  
  
The others laughed. I held out the chocolate to Martha and Barbara. They each took a piece  
  
"Thank you," said Martha.  
  
"Thanks. Yum! These are my favorites!" said Barbara.  
  
"You're welcome," I replied, passing the chocolate around to everyone.  
  
"I did have a --" began Rafe.  
  
I handed him the chocolate.  
  
"What did you have?" He handed me a box. "Is it another bikini?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"No. Open it."  
  
I opened it, it was a hula dress.  
  
"Thank you Rafe."  
  
"You're not going to comment on it being a dress?"  
  
"Nope, I don't mind it so much anymore, as long as it's not pink and frilly, or just pink."  
  
Everyone laughed.  
  
"We have a surprise for you too," said Gooz.  
  
"Oh Lord. What is it?"  
  
"If we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Gooz, I'm not in the mood for this."  
  
"Nope. We'll tell you later."  
  
I paused for a second.  
  
"It's later."  
  
Everyone laughed.  
  
"No."  
  
"C'mon, it's only two hours until dinner, if you don't tell me, I won't eat."  
  
"Only two hours? Barbara, Martha, you're up," said Red.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come with us," said Martha.  
  
They dragged me into the bathroom. They sat me down, and Martha took tweezers to my eyebrows. I had to bite my lip, so I wouldn't scream. Barbara started on my hair, by brushing it.  
  
"Ouch! That hurts!"  
  
"Do you brush your hair?" asked Barbara.  
  
"Not usually, I run my-- ow-- fingers through it, but that's it."  
  
"This is going to take a while."  
  
Martha nodded. Then I had a bikini wax, then she waxed my legs.  
  
"Go easy! That hurts!"  
  
"Baby," said Martha  
  
I looked up toward the ceiling.  
  
"You think this is funny, don't you Danny. You and Ma are just laughin' at me, aren't you?"  
  
After another hour and a half of brushing and curlers, my hair was done, and all the while Martha did my make- up. Luckily, it wasn't as heavy as Diana used to do. When Martha was done, I was able to look in the mirror, I had red lipstick on, and a touch of light blue eye shadow, and mascara. At least I didn't look like a clown. Then Martha left the room and came back with the dress Rafe had gotten me. I put it on, and Barbara took out the curlers. I looked in the mirror, but not before, Barbara put a headband in my hair, to push the curls out of my face. They somehow talked me into putting on high heels. I stood up and miraculously made it out of the bathroom. They were all shocked. Tony took a picture of us all, minus himself and Earl.   
  
"Now for our surprise," said Gooz.  
  
"Uh oh. If I had to go through all this for a surprise--"  
  
"Just come on."  
  
He led me to a car and Red and Rafe got in behind me, with a small movie camera.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Filmin'. Your future husband might be interested, or at least Evelyn will be, in how good you can look," said Rafe.  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
"I'm never gettin' married, I told you that."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We drove toward away from the base, but we were caught, by Doolittle.  
  
"Where's McCawley?" was the first thing he said.  
  
"Right here," said Rafe.  
  
"No, your sister."  
  
"Right here."  
  
I raised my hand slightly. His eyebrows shot up, and he stared in disbelief.  
  
"Sir, we're late for a surprise," said Gooz.  
  
"Well, carry on, you must tell me how this turns out."  
  
"They've got a movie camera," I said.   
  
He laughed and we drove away. A few minutes later he stopped in front of a restaurant. He led me to a table, in the back, and they left, I supposed they sat somewhere, where they could see me, but I couldn't see them. A man with brown hair, brown eyes and pale skin, came up to me.  
  
"Are you Jo McCawley?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
I stood up, to shake his hand.  
  
"I'm Paul Shrapper."  
  
I stuck out my hand, instead of shaking it, he kissed it, and handed me a single red rose. I took it, and he pulled my chair out for me, and we sat down. We ordered and then began to talk.  
  
"So, I hear you're in the Army," he began.  
  
"Yes, I'm a pilot. The only woman pilot next to Amelia Earhart."  
  
"Where did you fight? Europe, or Pacific?"  
  
"Both, actually. I was in Europe first, and then transferred to the Pacific to help finish that up. What about you? What do you do?"  
  
"I'm in the Navy, a doctor. I was stationed in Virginia during the attack of Pearl Harbor."  
  
"Really? My brother, my old friend, and I almost slept through it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, Rafe and I kinda got drunk the night before, and then he and Danny got into a fight and them the MP came and we ran to Danny's car and the next morning we woke up to see Pearl Harbor being bombed, and the Japanese flying over us. We rushed to Pearl and got as many of the guys as we could, I think Gooz ended up in my lap, very uncomfortable, but we got to the air field, a few miles away from Pearl, and Danny, Rafe and I got up into planes. Together, I think we shot down ten. I shot down three, Danny shot down three and Rafe shot down four, yeah that's ten."  
  
"Wow. Who's Danny."  
"Former fiancé."  
  
"Former? What happened?"  
  
"We was killed during the Doolittle Raid."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
  
"Thank you. But as Rafe says it has been three years and that I need to get over it. Do you have a girl back home you had in mind for a wife."  
  
"No. I had no one."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"New Orleans, Louisiana."  
  
"Really? Wow. I'm from Tennessee. It's very borin' there  
  
"How long are you going to be in Hawaii?"  
  
"'Till the end of the week, then I'm goin' back to Washington."  
  
"You got a boyfriend?"  
  
"No. I'm not really in search of a serious long term relationship, to be honest with you."  
  
He looked relieved.  
  
"Me neither."  
  
Our food came. I had ravioli in tomato sauce and he had Chicken Alfredo, we both had wine to drink.  
  
"Where are you stayin'?"  
  
"The Naval base, what about you?"  
  
"The Air base."  
  
We ate our dinner, talking about various things. When we were done I looked around the restaurant.  
  
"Are you looking for someone?"  
  
"My brother, Gooz and Red are here somewhere with a movie camera, and if they aren't watching us now, we might have a chance to sneak out."  
  
"I've got a car."  
  
"Perfect. I can't see them. Should we go now?"  
  
"Let's pay first."  
  
He smiled at me and I smiled back. The waiter came back.  
  
"Any dessert?" he asked  
  
"No thank you. May we have the check, please," said Paul.  
  
"It's been taken care of."  
  
"Okay."  
  
We got up and hurried out of the restaurant and into his car. He took me back to the base.  
  
"I want to show you something. Come on," I said.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Just come on."  
  
He got out of the car and I took him to the cliff over the beach and we watched the sunset. Rafe would kill me and Paul if he knew about this. No one knew this was my new 'secret spot' and I was sharing it with a man I barely knew. I was going to be a rebel tonight. When it was dark Paul and I made our way back to the car. We didn't quite get that far. We got to the parachute hangar and we went in there.  
  
"We could get kicked out of the Military for this."  
  
"We won't."  
  
I turned to face him, he wasn't there.  
  
"Boo!"  
  
He grabbed me around the waist.  
  
"So you wanna play huh? Well, two can play that game."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I slipped out of his arms and hid in one of the parachutes, until he walked by, then I got behind him and tapped his right shoulder then stood on his left side. He turned in a circle and saw me. Without realizing it, we kissed, but it didn't stop there. I ended up on my back, again. At about two in the morning, we got dressed and he went back to his base and I snuck into mine, or at least I tried. When I opened the door, and walked in, the light came on. Red, Rafe, Gooz, Earl and Tony were still awake. Red had turned on the light. Rafe was standing with his arms crossed, looking very angry, Gooz, Tony, and Earl were ready to hold him back, and they were gonna have to from the look in his eyes, and Red looking tired.  
  
"Um... hi?"  
  
"Where were you?" demanded Rafe.  
  
"On a date."  
  
He looked at the clock.  
  
"Until two in the morning?"  
  
"We talked a lot."  
  
"You left the restaurant."  
  
"I was tired of being watched."  
  
I was getting as angry as Rafe.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes! And Rafe? I'm twenty seven, I think I have the right to do things without you permission."  
  
"What about Danny's? He could be alive! We didn't find his body. I didn't die, even though I was shot down!"  
  
"Well, Rafe, you didn't stay away for three years! Only three months! Danny isn't comin' back, although I hate to admit it!"  
  
"Well, it might take Danny longer than me."  
  
"Rafe you know as well as I do if he had to wait any longer than he had to he'd swim from China."  
  
I grabbed my pajamas and went into the bathroom to change. When I came out, I ignored them and went to bed. I didn't realize the tears streaming down my face. I sat down on my bed and Rafe sat next to me, and hugged me.  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry too. We came back here after we left and we watched the sunset. Okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
I never told him about anything else about that night. He never asked, neither did the others. I didn't see Paul after that, at the end of the week I went to visit him, but he wasn't there, so I left him a note. It said: 'Dear Paul. I just stopped by to tell you good bye, because I'm leaving tomorrow. I guess I'll see you some time, later in life. Good bye, from Jo.' and I went back to our bunk to finish packing. The next day, I was about to when Doolittle walked in.  
  
"General?"  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Would you be interested in every six months coming back here and test- flying for us?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Good. I'll see you then."  
  
He left, and I went to get on the plane to take us back to California, then I got on the train to Washington.   
  



	7. Might as Well Face it, You're Addicted t...

All's Fair in Love and War.. Yeah Right.  
Chapter 7  
Might as Well Face it You're Addicted to Love  
  
When I got there I went to my new apartment, but not before paying Lenny for the apartment, and then I went furniture shopping. I found this bed it was black wrought iron and a canopy bed, queen sized, when I finally had it put up in my apartment, I put a light green sheer material around the top then I put different fake flowers at each corner, then I painted my room yellow. The living room we painted light blue and I got a white sofa and a yellow love seat. I painted the kitchen dark green and the cabinets white and I painted the bathroom a light green and the spare room light purple. For the spare room, I got a regular queen sized bed. When I was done, I went out for ice cream, because I was hungry, then I went to the grocery store. When I got back Gooz and Red were waiting for me.   
  
"Hey you two."  
  
They looked up at me Red smiled weakly, and Gooz still looked unhappy.  
  
"Hi Jo," said Red.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Let's go inside."  
  
"Okay."  
  
I opened the door and we went in. As I was putting the groceries away, Gooz cleared his throat.  
  
"Danny's father, he died last night. Rafe and Evelyn are down at my apartment," said Gooz.  
  
I slowly looked up. I didn't know what to say. I just began to cry. My knees suddenly became weak, and I fell to the floor. Gooz and Red fell with me and hugged me. Gooz rubbed my hair and rocked me back and forth, like Rafe does. Someone knocked on the door, and Red went to go get it.   
  
"Come on in you guys. She's in the kitchen," said Red.  
  
"Where, I don't see her."  
  
It was Rafe.  
  
"She's behind that bar, island thing right there, that big table that you need stools to sit at. She's back there with Gooz."  
  
"With Gooz? What are they doin'?"  
  
He came in, and I got up, then helped Gooz up. I splashed cold water on my face, and Evelyn and Danny Jr. came in.  
  
"Hi Rafe, Evelyn. Hey Danny- boy!"  
  
I picked him up and twirled him around, he giggled.   
  
"Want something to eat?" I asked him.  
  
"No, that's okay, we just came to tell you about Danny's father, good bye, Jo," said Evelyn, hurriedly.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Evelyn, we could have dinner here," said Rafe.  
  
"No, it's okay, she obviously doesn't want to stay here, I don't mind. I like being by myself, when I am. Gooz and Red come up here most of the time, but I'm usually at work."  
  
"She is. It's a miracle she's here. When we were looking for her we went straight to her office," said Gooz.  
  
"It's a Saturday," said Evelyn.  
  
"Evelyn, I'm not like you. I work as much as possible, it gives me somethin' to do. And the government works every day, and on weekends most people take those off, but I usually don't. Speakin' of which. What time is it?"  
  
"One twenty one," Red said.  
  
"What!? I've got to get ready, I've got work in ten minutes."  
  
I ran into my room, got my clothes, went into the bathroom, got a quick shower, put my clothes on, and ran into the living room, putting my wet hair into a pony tail.  
"Are you okay?" asked Rafe.  
  
"Yeah. I'll try to get an hour or so off tonight and make y'all dinner. Red, Gooz why don't y'all hang out or somethin' while I'm gone. Bye."  
  
And I ran out the door to catch a taxi, and it got to the Pentagon, and ran inside.  
  
"You're late," said Commander Zenski.  
  
"Sorry sir, my brother, sister- in- law and nephew are in town because a close friend of our family died recently."  
  
"I'm sorry. Do you need a long leave?"  
  
"No sir, only a day or two, possibly. And I need an hour or two to make dinner for them."  
  
"You didn't even need to come in today. We don't really need-- oh never mind."  
  
I shrugged and did whatever needed doing, at six thirty, I went into the Commanders office.  
  
"Sir--"  
  
"Commander. A message from the President, sir. The Russians won't give in. They've blockaded us from getting to Germany," said the lieutenant.  
  
"Thank you, Smith."  
  
He left and Commander Zenski sighed, sitting down at his desk putting his head in his hands.  
  
"Sir? Are you all right?"  
  
"I need to find a way to get supplies and goods to Berlin."  
  
"Fly them."  
  
"No, there are no runways, they're all blocked off."  
  
"Drop them from the planes."  
  
He looked up, smiling.  
  
"You're brilliant. That's absolutely brilliant!"  
  
"Thank you sir."   
  
"No thank you. You can have as much time as you want off. Oh, and in a week the plane leaves for Hawaii. I know you've volunteered for that."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
I left, exhausted, and caught a taxi home. When I got there I began to make dinner. I made roast beef, mashed potatoes, and corn, Rafe's and my favorite. They came in just as I set it on the table.  
  
"Good. I'm starving," said Gooz, sitting down.  
  
"Eugene Wood!"  
  
He flinched at his name, I laughed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your name is Eugene?" asked Rafe, laughing.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Gooz, go home, this was supposed to be a family thing, but if you want my cooking, you can stay," I sighed.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
We sat down and ate in quiet. The next day we went beck to Shelby, Tennessee, for the funeral. I didn't know what to do, say or think. All I could think of was Danny, Ma, Pa and Mr. Walker all being together. The next day, after going through Mr. Walker's old things, I went back to Washington. I was only there a few days when I left for Hawaii, back to Pearl. I unpacked and sat down on my old bed, when Doolittle walked in.  
  
"General, you're the first one here."  
  
"Sir. Is this bunker reserved for us or something?"  
  
"Yes, actually it is."  
  
"Wow."  
  
The others walked in.  
  
"Jo!" they all yelled.  
  
"Hey guys. I heard there's a boxing match on the Virginia, wanna go check it out before dinner?"  
  
There was cheering, and we went and watched Officer Miller, kick some butt. When he got tired, another man stepped in the ring.  
  
"Miller, come on, let's fight!" he growled.  
  
"He needs a break!" someone called from the audience.  
  
"Fine! Then I need a challenger!"  
  
My adrenaline pumped, and a smile came to my face.  
  
"No, Jo," said Red.  
  
Too late.  
  
"I will!"  
  
The crowd 'oo'ed. And everyone, but the guys in my bunker bet against me. I stepped in the ring, and Miller handed me his gloves.  
  
"Knock 'em dead, Miss--"  
  
"General, General Jo McCawley. And I won't knock him dead, I'll knock 'im unconscious."  
  
Miller laughed. The bell rang, and the men began to scream. The man took the first swing. Right jab, he missed. I gave him a double hit, right hook and then a left hook. The infamous fists of Shelby, Tennessee. He got my cheek with a right hook, but I got him a good few punches in the face and stomach. After a while, he got tired, but I wasn't.  
  
"Are you a nurse lady?" he asked.  
  
"No I'm a General, General Jo McCawley of the Air Force."  
  
His eyes grew wide., and a punched him in the nose, causing him to fall backward. I raised my arms in triumph and the men threw my money to me, or more, at me. Over the next few days the sailors stayed away from me, I found it highly amusing. The second day, I was able to get back into a plane, I felt free, like I had before the war. I did barrel rolls, and outside loops, only when no one was looking. When I landed we all went out to dinner, and someone came up behind me, covering my eyes.  
  
"Guess who."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Guess."  
  
"Give me a hint."  
  
"Do you want to leave, so you're not being watched?"  
  
"Paul?"  
  
The hands were removed from my eyes and I turned to see Paul's smiling face.  
  
"Hey. How are you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm good. And you? I haven't seen you for a while."  
  
"I'm great now that I've seen you again."  
  
I blushed slightly.  
  
"I'm sorry about the note, I had to catch my plane, and then my train, and you weren't there, so."  
  
"Let's go out for ice cream, and forget about the past."  
  
"Okay. I'll see you guys later, okay?"  
  
"Have fun kids," said Gooz.  
  
"Don't stay out too late," said Red.  
  
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," said Rafe. "Wait! I take that back!"  
  
"Bye you three."  
  
And Paul and I left the restaurant. We went back to the spot on the cliff over-looking the beach and the ocean. Then went back to the parachute hangar. We repeated our original date, excluding the Italian restaurant. This time, I made it back around midnight, instead of two. Paul and I didn't see each other much after that. The next week Gooz, Red and I went out for ice cream.   
  
"Wow, she's cute," said Gooz, looking at a blonde.  
  
"Are you challenging me?" I asked.  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Okay Red you wanna join in?"  
  
"No, I'll keep score," said Red.  
  
"Okay. I'll get this man over here, without saying a word."  
  
"No you can't," said Gooz.  
  
That was when the competition began. I looked at this table full of men, and looked at them and smiled slyly, they raised their eyebrows and every one of them looked for a pen, pencil and a piece of paper. All of them wrote down their name, city, state, address and phone number. And placed it next to me as they passed by.   
  
"That's..... fifteen for me and how many for you?"  
  
"Six."  
  
"Only six?"  
  
"Shut up, what about that guy over there, he's staring at that blonde and she's all over him."  
  
"I won't say a word."  
  
I cleared my throat, and he looked at me, I licked my ice cream spoon and winked at him, he stood up and came up to me.  
  
"Here? Nine tonight?"  
  
"Can't get out of the base, heavily guarded."  
  
"Prison?"  
  
"No, Air Force."  
  
"Pilot?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"General."  
  
"Oh."  
  
And he left.  
  
"I win."  
  
"Jo wins," said Red.  
  
Gooz sighed and handed me twenty dollars. Over the next couple of weeks, I felt horrible, and Rafe made me go to Tennessee with him, instead of being in Washington alone. I tried to help out, but everything I did, it was wrong. One morning, Danny Jr. got up really early, and I was throwing up, so instead of waking Evelyn up at quarter to six in the morning, I made them all breakfast. Well, when they came down, Evelyn didn't look happy.  
  
"What's this?" she asked.  
  
"I was up, and Danny- boy was about to wake y'all up, and I told him I'd make everyone breakfast, so you didn't have to get up."  
  
"Oh, well, I like my eggs over easy."  
  
"Well, I was about to make some, actually. I know Rafe'll eat them all three ways, so I'm about to make them now."  
  
"How many do you want Jo?" asked Rafe.  
  
"A couple."   
  
I had made French toast and eggs. I gave Danny his chocolate milk and made coffee for the adults. Evelyn wouldn't let me have any, and gave me milk and orange juice. All through the three weeks I was there Evelyn found something to lecture me about. I was supposed to stay until I got better, but I left after three weeks.  
  
"Jo, you're still sick," said Rafe.  
  
"I'm not sticking around here for nine months."  
  
"You won't be sick for nine--"  
  
"Yes Rafe, that's right. I'm pregnant."  
  
"Oh."  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I'll be fine. I'm going home tomorrow."  
  
"So soon?"  
  
"I've been here three weeks."  
  
"Your point?"  
  
"Your wife hates me."  
  
"That's not true.  
  
"Yes it is Rafe. Everything I do, it's wrong."  
  
"She's picky."  
  
"Whatever you say. I mean it's just-- I'm going."  
  
And the next morning I went back to Washington. All the time I was miserable. In about the seventh month, Commander Zenski realized it wasn't fat.  
  
"General McCawley?"  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Are you-- um... I mean-- are you--?"  
  
"Am I what sir?"  
  
"What he's trying to say is are you going to have a baby?" finished Col. Doolittle.  
  
"Yes sir I am, in two months."  
  
"Two--? General, there is this thing called maternity leave."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
"Usually women go on it when there pregnant."  
  
"So?"  
  
"You have to go on Maternity leave."  
  
I sighed.  
  
"I don't want to, but I guess I have to, I've still got to turn the spare room into the baby's room."  
  
"What color is it?"  
  
"Still spring green, I'm not changing it, not until the baby wants to change it, but I'll paint it anything but pink."  
  
Doolittle laughed.  
  
"You hate that color, don't you?"  
  
"Yes sir I do."  
  
He laughed again, and drove me home. I got into my pajamas and got some much needed sleep, I'd been working hard because of the end of W.W.II and the beginning of the Cold war. About dinner time, I woke up and walked into the kitchen, and smelt something.  
  
"Morning. We thought you could use some help," said Gooz smiling.   
"You taught us well," said Red.  
  
We sat down and ate dinner discussing the news. Who's dating Gooz, who's dating Red, who's the Godparents of the baby going to be, who the father of the baby's going to be, and the tally of how many times Doolittle asked me into going into Maternity leave.  
  
"How many?" asked Gooz.  
  
I thought for a second.  
  
"Today it was forty seven."  
  
Red sighed.  
  
"Are you actually going to stay this time?" asked Red.  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Good."  
  
They came in every day after that to check up on me, and on day I went out grocery shopping with Gooz, and Red. They were playing catch with toilet paper, when I felt a sharp pain. I looked down, I could feel my face go white.  
  
"Oh great."  
  
"Jo? Are you all right?" asked Red.  
  
"I will be in a few hours."  
  
"What's in a few hours?" asked Gooz.  
  
Red looked down, then elbowed Gooz in the ribs, then pointed to the floor.  
  
"Jo? I think your water broke," said Red.  
  
"My what?"   
  
"You're having the baby."  
  
"I know."  
  
I had an idea. I took a jar of pickles and dropped them, so no one would know what it really was. We left the cart there, and Gooz and Red practically pushed me out of the store. They drove to the hospital, surprisingly without being pulled over for speeding, and rushed me into the hospital, by this time, it was really starting to hurt. The nurse came up to us.   
  
"Get Rafe," I said to Gooz and Red.  
  
She led me into a room, and I was in there for a very long time, I don't know how long, maybe ten hours of sharp pains. Right when I was about to call for Red and Gooz, the doctor came in.  
  
"Knees up and apart."  
  
He took my knees and lifted them up, so they were bent, and pulled my legs apart.   
  
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What in the world are you doing?" I demanded, putting my legs together.  
  
"You're gonna have to trust me."  
  
"Bull."  
  
"Come on Miss--"  
  
"General Jo McCawley."  
  
"Okay, General, you're going to have to relax, it won't be long now."  
  
"Okay. Fine, what do I do?"  
  
"Think about something else until I say."  
  
"Okay. What?"   
"Were you in the war? As a nurse?"  
  
"No. I'm a pilot, and yes I was in the war. I was shot down in Poland, there was a massacre there, between the Allies and the Nazis. I believe I'm the only survivor of it."  
  
"I heard about that. There were a few others who survived, they were found, almost dead. Then there were a few Nazis dead, one holding an arm and another a--"  
  
"Head. I killed those eight men, they were playing baseball with them, I killed them, as they had my buddies, can we move on to another subject?"  
  
"The father of the baby. What's he like?"  
  
"He's tall dark, handsome, a Naval doctor, haven't seen him for nine months. Next subject."  
  
"Okay, the baby's coming, push."  
  
I pushed and a while later, I was holding my new baby girl.  
  
"What's her name?" asked the nurse.  
  
"Harley Gabrielle Walker McCawley," I said, smiling down at my baby.  
  
"Two last names?"  
  
"No two middle names."   
  
The nurse shrugged and let Red, Gooz, Earl, Martha, Tony, Barbara, Danny Jr., Rafe and Evelyn in. Gooz had cigars for everyone. The nurse came back in.  
  
"Umm,. excuse me, which of the two men you came in with is the father?" she asked.  
  
"Neither."  
  
"Then where is the father?"  
  
"That's classified."  
  
She shrugged and left.  
  
"You know where he is?" asked Rafe.  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you even know who it is?" asked Red.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Did you name the baby?" asked Gooz  
  
"No," I said sarcastically.  
  
"What did you name her?" asked Evelyn.  
  
"Harley Gabrielle Walker McCawley."  
  
"Long name," said Earl.  
  
"You got a problem with that?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good."  
  
Over the next few months I was a stay home mom, I cooked cleaned, took care of the baby, all those thing house wives do. I didn't like it very much. Two months later, I was at the grocery store, Harley was with Gooz and Red, and I accidentally bumped into a man.  
  
"I'm sorry, I wasn't payin' attention," I said.  
  
He turned and faced me. His features lightened and he smiled.  
  
"It's all right, Miss--? I'm John Walters"  
  
"McCawley. Jo McCawley."  
  
"Wow. Really? "  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wonder Woman eh?"  
  
I blushed a bit.  
  
"I wouldn't say that. I got the nickname on the Doolittle Raid. A friend of mine was jokin' around, askin' me to marry him or sleep with him, and I kept sayin' no. One night he grabbed me around the waist and I flipped him over my head, so that's how I got that nickname."  
  
He laughed. He had gorgeous brown eyes and dirty blonde hair.  
  
"Umm, are you busy Friday night?"  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
I smiled at him and he blushed a little. That Friday I put on my hula dress, and did my hair, no make up, I still wasn't quite sure how that worked, but Lauren, Gooz's new girlfriend came up, to help me get ready. When I was done I took Harley down to Gooz's place for him to watch her for me.  
  
"Thank you so much Gooz."  
  
"No problem. I love her. You have fun tonight."  
  
I kissed Harley on the forehead and left. I met John at the French restaurant on 15 th street. We ate, talked, laughed, and without realizing it, we ended up kissing profusely in his car, in front of my apartment building. When we broke apart, I looked at my watch.  
  
"Four forty five. I've got to get home. I had a great time. Thank you."  
  
"Good bye, Jo."  
  
We kissed again and I got out of the car. Through the months I went out with several different men. A few times we ended up back at his place, or mine. A few times, Gooz saw him leave and brought Harley back up, and put her in her bed.  
  
"Jo?"  
  
"Hey Gooz. Sorry I was out so late. I am never able to keep track of time."  
  
"That's not what I wanted to say. I'm worried about you. You go out with a different man every week, and nine times out of ten you end up here or at his place, and don't get back until early morning. Might as well face it Jo. You're addicted to love."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You haven't found the right guy for yourself."  
  
"Yes I have, he's dead."  
  
"Jo, he died for a reason, maybe so you could move on with your life, to teach you to get over things. Jo, slow it down."  
  
I sighed. He was right. I'd go on a date, get in his car and then I'd end up on my back. I seemed to have made that a habit.  
  
"Okay, Gooz."  
  
"Good."  
  
He turned to leave.  
  
"Oh, and Gooz. Thanks."  
  
"For what?"   
  
"Everything."  
  
He smiled kissed me on the forehead and left. Within the next few months, I was a workaholic again. I did most of my work at home, so I could still watch Harley, and everyone in the Pentagon loved Harley.   
  



End file.
